|
|
The
Age of Adaline - Film Review |
|
The Age of Adaline
received mixed reviews and the box office take is best described as
modest, even though during the first week it ranked as number three.
J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz crafted an excellent screenplay
that drew some criticism for being slow moving in the beginning, but
that criticism came from people who obviously do not understand the
necessity of building a strong backstory for a character, Adaline Bowman
whose life spanned 107 years. Did we happen to mention that she stopped
aging, when she was twenty-nine years old?
We are not going to give away all of the secrets of this movie, but
suffice to say that Adaline endures a life that simply does not allow
her to live. The fact that she
never ages would become suspicious and subject her to becoming a medical
sideshow, so she stays in one spot for a year and then moves on.
As the decades pass, so do the people she has known and her own
daughter (Flemming played by Ellen Burstyn) becomes the senior citizen
that Adaline will never be.
Blake Lively puts in one of the most powerful acting performances by a
man or a woman in any era of film and after his appearance one-half of
the way through the movie Harrison Ford is her equal. The tone of voice,
the eyes and the facial expressions of both actors become the dramatic
tension and far and away are more powerful than any overt actions could
be. This is a film about hearts
breaking, but not being finally broken. William (Harrison Ford)
unexpectedly has memories that to use the character’s words, “I didn’t
even know I remembered,” conjured up once again. Adaline is forced to
make more difficult decisions and her daughter Flemming is not getting
any younger. Ellis (Michiel
Huisman) is the romantic interest for Adaline and although he is good in
his role, the script does not really lend itself to him being more than
a bystander in most of the more dramatic scenes.
The real questions posed by this film are, if you could live forever and
stay the same age, while everyone you knew grew older and passed away,
would you want to? What choices would you make to protect your daughter?
What personal sacrifices would you make to keep your life a secret?
We are not going to tell you why Adaline Bowman does not age and we are
not going to even hint at the ending of this film. What we will tell you
is this, if those possibilities existed, what this movie lays bare is
you would be faced to make some very difficult choices.
We said in the beginning that this is not a romantic movie, but it is
one that has romance in it. For every person who lost a love, almost
lost a love, had “near misses,” or had to make choices about love, this
film also has something for you. Kathy Baker, as William’s (Ford) wife
Kathy Jones and Ellen Burstyn, as Flemming put in the type of
performances that we have come to expect from these two iconic actors.
Baker and Ford are very convincing as husband and wife and Harrison
Ford’s ability to become strong, vulnerable and perplexed all within a
span of half of the film, once again remind us of how for so long we
have been gifted by this talented actor. As for Blake Lively, as
wonderful as the cast is around her, she owns this film. There is no
mistaking that she is indeed the star and rightly so.
The Age of Adaline
is not a period film. It is a movie about numerous decades with one
common thread, Adaline Bowman.
The Age of Adaline can be viewed on Netflix. Have your box of
tissues beside you. Do not stop watching after the first twenty minutes.
Keep watching the story unfold.
|
The
Age of Adaline