The Age of Adaline

Released:  April 24^th, 2015

Rated:  PG-13

Distributor:  Lionsgate

Starring:  Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn

Directed by:  Lee Toland Krieger

Written by:  J. Mills Goodloe, Salvador Paskowitz

Personal Bias Alert:  dislikes modern romances, likes Blake Lively

7 of 10

            The Age of Adaline feels as out of time as its protagonist, living in some starry-eyed past where love blossoms instead of lust, although such a time probably never actually existed.  Still, it’s nice to imagine such a place, and if the movies can’t provide us a gentle realm where romance slowly pushes open doors held shut by fear, then what medium can?

            Blake Lively stars as the tentative Adaline, who many years ago died in a car crash and was brought back to life in such a specific way that the process of aging was scientifically stopped.  This movie really goes out of its way to invent a scientific basis for this magical occurance, which is both entirely unnecessary and contrary to the vibe of the rest of the film, but luckily, this takes up only brief moments in an otherwise well-formed movie.  Lively turns out to be a perfect fit for the role, giving Adaline the feel of someone calm, wise, and weary.  Her long past and seemingly endless future brings her little joy, as she’s learned that happiness and attachment only leads to loss and grief.

            Lively turns in a lovely performance, but sadly, the screenplay lets her down.  The quandaries and troubles she keeps lingering behind Adaline’s eyes are never fully explored, leaving The Age of Adaline feeling like a shell of the great movie it could’ve been.  Instead, it is content to stay within the confines of a basic romance, complete with meet-cutes, halted responses, and dramatic exits.  With the exception of the fantasy twist, it’s a story you’ve seen played out a million times (and with less on-the-nose dialogue).

            But there is that element of fantasy, a feeling of tall tale otherworldliness that director Lee Toland Krieger plays up to just the right pitch.  The closest comparison is probably to 2003’s Big Fish, the whimsical Tim Burton movie that covered much of the director’s signature wackiness with a bared, decent heart.  The Age of Adaline shares this decency, and it invites its audience to spend some time in a place that’s a little less complex and much more forgiving than the real world.  Both films feel like folklore, like entertaining and endearing stories passed down through the generations to teach us some very basic lesson.  Obviously, neither are based off of old stories, but that doesn’t make their points any less valid.

            In keeping with the otherworldly feel, cinematographer David Lanzenberg captures the goings-on with a delicate, lingering touch.  Many shots hold for a moment longer than it needs, evoking the expanse of time that Adaline has experienced without being pushy, but the camera’s true heart lies with Adaline herself.  There’s a reverence about the way she’s filmed, often bathed in light and slightly removed from the other characters.  Part of this is due to the character’s own reserved nature, but much has to do with the way Lanzenberg and Krieger chose to capture their heroine.  They wanted her to inspire a certain awe, to be slightly larger than life.  Their vision and Lively’s portrait coalesce into just the right amount of deferential sadness, making Adaline a compelling match to the film’s storybook feel.

            The Age of Adaline is the kind of film that can get away with large flaws if you get sucked into its gentle embrace.  It’s not trying to be the smartest or the flashiest, but it can reassure you that the difficulties life throws at you are worth facing and that there might just be a happy ending.

Other Notes:

Ø  The narration is done by the same man who performed these duties in a personal favorite of mine:  The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Ø  Lively does have quite a timeless look to her.

Ø  This is dividing critics and audiences (51% on Metacritic to 7.5 on IMDB) in a very similar way to Big Fish (58% on Metacritic to 8 on IMDB).