The Age of Adaline was released on 24 April, but I just watched it last week. I wasn’t very interested at first, as I’m not usually into sappy romance (I’m more of a rom-com lady), but my husband insisted (my husband insisted, can you believe it? Haha!). So I made some popcorn and then we watched it together.
The Age of Adaline is told in a fairy tale-like narration, using a deep male voice as the narrator. It tells a story about Adaline (Blake Lively), who stops ageing after dying in a car crash and then resurrected by a lightning. She stays being 29 years old, even after eight decades have passed her by. She is forced to keep it as a secret after several government institutions want to take her in and turn her into an experiment object. The only person who knows about this secret is his daughter, Flemming (Ellen Burstyn), who at some point grows older than her own mother. Because of this secret, Adaline can’t be close to anyone. She has to move and change her identity every decade. For several decades, everything seems to be under control, until she meets Ellis (Michiel Huisman; Cal in Orphan Black!). She is hesitant to open up to Ellis at first, but they grow closer and closer, up to the point where Ellis takes Adaline to his parents’ anniversary party. Turns out, Ellis’ father (Harrison Ford) is a man with whom Adaline had a relationship a few decades ago. Back then, she left him when she saw that he was going to propose to her. From that moment on, Adaline has to decide what she really wants.
While the story itself is not really interesting for me, I really appreciate the casting department of this movie for choosing Anthony Ingruber to play the younger version of Harrison Ford’s character, William. You might have read this statement in other blogs and websites, but… Dude! He totally looks like a young Harrison Ford!
Back to actually talking about the movie: Turns out, it’s not a sappy movie (or so I think). Although it’s kind of tragic, Adaline’s attitude makes it hard for me to be sad for her and/or pity her. I don’t know if it’s the quality of Blake Lively’s acting or the story writing that makes me feel this way. At the end of the movie, I only sympathize Flemming and I’m sad for the old dog. It’s a shame because the premise and the trailer were actually good.
I’d give The Age of Adaline 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Oh and favourite quote:
Have you seen The Age of Adaline? What do you think about it?