Age of Adaline (2015)
Blake Lively is definitely a lot more than wife and sexy baby mama to Deadpool’s ' Ryan Reynolds. The actress rose to fame in popular television series Gossip Girl and has taken our breaths away with her stellar talent ever since. The adored thespian can work in major blockbusters such as The Green Lantern (opposite husband Reynolds,) as well as tackling small independent films or brilliant dramas like The Town. She is also set to star in single person thriller The Shallows later this year but this article is all about her starring role as the titular character in romantic romp Age of Adaline.
No, this isn’t a less exciting cut of Age of Ultron, but rather a drama that follows a young woman named Adaline (Blake Lively) living in the 1930's who, after a freak accident, finds that she does not physically age. Everyone she loves grows old and dies off, and she finds herself questioning the point of life when she can’t grow old with anyone, until she meets a handsome man (Michiel Huisman) who draws her out of her shell.
Why is it Bad?
Age of Adaline takes something utterly impossible and tries to rationalise it, which is drivel and completely unnecessary (we still believe in miracles, guys.) The premise of a young women who never ages and lives forever is intriguing enough but Age of Adaline decides to overshadow it with annoying unnecessary explanations on top. The hapless narration spoils this mysticism and the extent of annoyance makes it almost unwatchable. Marring an actually pleasant film, the voiceover is utterly haphazard and ladles the information that we can already deduce by, shock, the moving pictures on the screen in order to make it credible but actually enhances the implausibility. It know I’ve pretty much jumped on this one part of the film but it really makes you squiffy, letting out an inaudible grown and making you roll your eyes.
Apart from that, the story doesn’t really go anywhere for a long time and this dreamy sleepwalker pace is somewhat detrimental to the films overall arch.
Why is it Good?
The movie really comes into its own during the second half of the film. Remarkably, the naff premise and absurdity of have an odd charm that is delicately weaved into this fantastical movie. The green hues and maudlin aesthetic of the present, representing Adaline’s disjointedness with the world (after years alive,) is juxtaposed against the vibrant brimming world of the past that saw her much more alive. The colour palette is a stunning. Lively is a sublime performer who is able to grab the essence of the character and take her from spirited mother to regale wise woman. It’s a wholly impressive and charming performance, amazing in her deftly handle soulful character. Harrison Ford, who plays a long lost love, is also compelling as he tries to unravel Adaline and his feelings for her - the two are greatly matched.
With a stunning conflict as Adaline watches all her loved ones grow without her, the pain of having an aged daughter, and the clash of romantic lives, Age of Adaline has a lot of themes and semantics to unravel is a somewhat poetic way. It’s not a fantastic film, but it isn’t utterly terrible either. Floating poetically on the gorgeous visuals and Lively’s equally brilliant performance, Age of Adaline is a good film.