Alexander IRL

Alexander IRL is a 2017 American teen comedy-drama web film directed by K. Asher Levin and written by Brandon Cohen.

Produced by Rob Fishman, Levin, and Rivera, it follows a socially enclosed trio named Alexander Finn, Darius, and Stuart (Rivera, Mitchell and Scribner) trying to form their own alter ego by throwing a party and as Alex's brother EJ (Kress) begs him to make an app prototype involving his party.

With technology being a recurring motif in the film, production gained partnership with the companies like General Electric, as part of an effort to increase awareness on the industrial internet of things.

After a month of delay, Alexander IRL was released on YouTube Red on January 11, 2017, and received mixed reviews on its plot.

Alex's big brother EJ works at a venture company participating in an app creation challenge using General Electric's cloud to enhance everyday lives.

On July 20, 2016, Dave McNary of Variety announced that Kress and Rivera, both being internet personalities, would be starring in an independent teen comedy film titled Alexander IRL, which would start shooting the same week of publication in Los Angeles.

[1] In an interview with director of innovation San Olstein, he said that the film is experimental to GE, and that it makes the industrial internet of things more relatable to a much younger segment than they usually reach out to.

[2] In order to gain audiences, Levin explained that "The idea was to bring someone like Brent, who has such an incredible reach with people 12-18 and above, to get them to watch one of these movies.

Being in his first feature film, Rivera faced various pressures, most notably on the schedules and to show up on set, something he doesn't need to be concerned of when making online videos.

[3] Rivera reflected on the friendship between all the cast and crew members, that the film's production was like "a big hangout ses[sion].

Levin states that they're "thrilled that YouTube Red Originals shares our vision of bringing back the teen films that our generation grew up on.

[6] It features a sliding shot of the three main characters showing off at their school corridor, with the song "We're on Fire" by Airplane Man.

[12] Brian Castello of Common Sense Media gave the film a 1 out of 5 stars, stating that "While the movie tries to make a perhaps satirical comment on how teens in particular live more through their smartphones than they do 'IRL,' this message gets muddied in what amounts to an incoherent story and unfunny comedy."

Read caption
Brent Rivera (pictured 2020) portrays Alexander Finn