User Reviews

Hooker Alexa (Christine Moore) is pursued by a playwright (Kirk Baily) who wants to tell a story about prostitution. He has conducted research on ladies-of-the-night and has his own ideas as to why they have gravitated toward such a sinful profession. But his prejudices offend Alexa, who he falls for--of course--while forcing Alexa to evaluate her life.

STORY $ (Very poor screenplay here. If Pretty Woman is in the Hall of Fame of filmmaking than Alexa is still toiling in the low minors. There are many social criticisms presented here, in that typical cultural left absence of logic evaluation. Alexa, who sleeps with a handful of guys, accuses her stay-at-home housewife sister of being a whore--selling herself to her husband. There isn't anything profound stated here--just warped philosophy).

ACTING: $$ (The acting isn't too bad, at least by the two leads. Despite his unkempt mullet, Kirk Baily does a fine job as Tony the playwright. Christine Moore, best known for her work in Roberta Findlay's horror films "Prime Evil" and "Lurkers," is quite good in the title role even if she has a poor script to work with. The supporting cast however, was very weak).

NUDITY: $$$$ (Plenty of it here--big shock, huh? We open with a shot of Ruth Collins taking off her robe, trying to seduce Tony. Christine Moore has couple topless scenes in bed and she is quite exquisitely put together, if you know what I mean. Other "actresses" take off their clothes during scenes of gratuitous occupational therapy).

My review was written in May 1989 after watching the movie on Academy video cassette.

"Alexa" is an ambitious but unsatisfying character study of a Gotham prostitute; it's scheduled as a summer home video release.

Unlike the courtroom/psychoanalytic approach of the play and subsequent film "Nuts", filmmakers Sean Delgado and Peggy Bruen take a behavioral approach that creates initial interest in the plight of high-priced call girl Alexa (Canadian actress Christine Moore), but is nullified by a misjudged melodramatic final reel.

After eight years hooking, Alexa is pondering whether to retire and take up best buddy Ruth Collins' offer to open a restaurant together Key plot catalyst is young playwright Kirk Baily interviewing her for a show he's writing about prostitution. Alexa falls in love with him but her nasty pimp (Joseph P. Giardina) intervenes with fatal results.

Moore, a Jacqueline Bisset-type beauty who's been impressive in a series of east coast thrillers, plays it mean here, creating a central figure that's nearly as unsympathetic as the male cast. With no one to root for, the film is hurting, and the cemetery finale leads to bathos. Emphasis on Baily's play proves an empty device since it's never enacted on screen.

Baily remain a cipher in his lead role, seen only from Alexa's perspective. Collins does her reliable sidekick part, and Frank Zappa-esque Giardina is briefly scary as the violent hustler. Tech credits are inconsistent (several key scenes, including a prolog, are shot silent with poor post-synch while others use direct sound), but Gregory Alper's moody jazz score is a plus.