Courtesy of Vanity Fair
Headlined by beautiful acting performances and a unique plot, “Age of Adaline” directed by Lee Toland Krieger is a work of art. However, is there such a thing as too unique of a plot? While movies that have one-of-a-kind situations are not always far-fetched to a point of disbelief, “Age of Adaline” might actually draw that reaction.
To start off, the acting in this movie was tremendous. Blake Lively, Harrison Ford, and Michael Huisman all lived up to their acting prowess, especially Lively. Her performance perfectly embodied an old soul in Adaline. Playing a woman who does not age is immensely difficult, especially when factoring in that the actor must act as if she is 90 years old when she looks, and is, 26 years old in real life. Lively was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and deserved more in my opinion. From a viewer’s perspective, I could see her as a elderly woman just by her behavior. Great performances from Ford and Huisman, aided in holding up this film.
On the other hand, the plot makes reviewing this film difficult. An interesting plot is needed to have a good story. “Age of Adaline” definitely clears this need, but maybe too far. A story about a woman who, during a crash, falls into freezing water, killing her almost instantly, but then is struck by lightning a minute later sounds already like a unique situation. The fact that the woman is revived because of the electric pulse, AND that she can now live indefinitely, might almost be too far. The majority of the movie asks you to suspend your disbelief, but enjoyment of the movie is still definitely possible. However, and this is a spoiler alert so stop reading after this if a pure viewing experience is needed, the fact that she is put in the exact same situation and it returns her ability to age is ridiculous. At this point I rolled my eyes and was honestly disappointed with the ending.
The acting performances saved this movie, and without them, it would suffer from too extreme of a plot. I really enjoyed this movie, despite the fantastical ideas, and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to see a great pair of actors in Lively and Ford.
Rating: 8.2/10
“Reams and Reels,” written by Cade Smucker, dives into the intersection between books and movies. Reviewing books one week and movies the next, Sumcker analyzes the newest works of fiction on the market, telling you which are worth your time, and which are not.