The Age of Adaline (2015)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It is far to be the most inspired definition. or the most honest. but it is a usefull one. in a special sense. because it talks about an old "if...", dream of mankind, desire of many from us - to be young. forever. and this idea, as ingredient of a love story, using Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn is a good detail. because ...it real works. because it could be discovered as parable. because it propose a story who, without be spectacular, it has the status of hot chocolate for soul not sentimental, beautiful, using crumbs from classic films about same theme, it is one of films who deserve to see. not as refuge. but for simple motif to see the nuances of life. that is all.

"All Men Are Mortal" (1946) is outstanding novel by the French existentialist Simone de Beauvoir, which tells nearly the same story as "The Age of Adaline." De Beauvoir's novel is a philosophical appraisal of what it would be like to never age and experienced eternal life at a fixed age. The protagonist of "All Men Art Mortal" wrestles with the same issues as Adeline Bowman, who, every decade, changes her identity in order to escape the FBI or to avoid becoming a scientific "curiosity." While de Beauvoir's novel is much more profound than the film, the clever screenplay, beautiful photography, and excellent acting make "The Age of Adeline" a compelling film. The creative script adds an intriguing layer to relationship of Adaline (Blake Lively) and Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) when it turns out that Adeline had also had an affair with Ellis's father, William Jones (Harrison Ford) decades earlier. The best moments in the film are those instances when Adaline is struggling with her identity. But the dramatic tension only goes so far as to whether or not she will reveal the truth to her lover. There is very little exploration of the core issue of human mortality. Lively was good in moving the film along, and there was also a terrific performance by the actor playing the young Harrison Ford. There is some beautiful film footage of the San Francisco Bay Area and an occasional history lesson about the Gold Rush of 1849 and the earthquake of 1906.One detail never resolved in the film was the identity of the blind pianist with whom Adeline confided at the New Year's Eve ball. Later, we learn that Adeline was teaching herself braille. But it was never clear who was the blind pianist. Was it another one of Adeline's daughters. The best part of this film was the first half that carefully developed the conceit of Adaline's dilemma with immortality. The second half did not fulfill the promise of the film, as it lapsed into pure rom-dram. In the final analysis, "The Age of Adaline" did not truly explore what it was like for others to have a relationship with an immortal human being or what it was like for Adaline herself from the inside. Still, this was a fun film with good plot twists. An interesting actor relationship had to have been the approach of Ellen Bustyn and Blake Lively playing mother and daughter, with the daughter thirty-five years older than the daughter. But who on earth was that mysterious blind pianist?

I was curious about this film because of its premise: a woman, Adaline, who seems to be immortal.I shall state the good parts first. Most of the visual direction is quite pretty and the soundtrack is rather lovely in places. The cast are very good too given the material they have to work with.However the script and story fall flat on their faces with astounding force. Adaline initially is put across as a bright but not exceptional woman leading a happy life. The rest of the film swings between portraying her as being a genius then to being a hugely irrational doe- eyed fool.STRONGER SPOILERS TO FOLLOWApparently she speaks a good handful of languages fluently but struggles to make the most basic steps researching the cause of her condition. Then she runs away from the governmental agency that want to research her condition. Then she can't figure out that maybe disguising her looks might Improve her choices of not being found. After all this she ends up with a man who's stalkerish behaviour would likely land him in prison. Then her daughter encourages her to get together with him. It's all a bit horrible.I can't say I saw anything romantic in this film. I couldn't see anything of substance whatsoever.ONE PARTICULARLY STRONG SPOILERI have no idea why the writers used this idea but.... I'd feel a lot better pointing this out...if a man follows you into a lift, tries to get in your taxi and then blackmails you by saying he'll give your workplace a huge donation if you go on a date with him, that's not romantic. That's a reason to call the police. And definitely, definitely don't go for a date with him in a dark cave.

The Age of Adaline is a terrible movie with a poorly developed plot and a cast that tries far too hard. It has an interesting set up as we follow an immortal woman named Adaline struggling to cope with losing people she loves as she lives on. However, it fails to deliver in all the potential this plot had, disengaging us from the story with an unusual narrator. The characters in this movie are also, quite simply, unlikeable. I had no reason to route for Adaline, she does not do anything intriguing enough or honourable enough to have me both respect or have any desire to follow her on this journey. Her love interest Ellis is also also a boring, two dimensional character. The cast could have saved these ineffective characters, but they had as little interest in this plot as the writers did. Blake Lively is not a likable leading lady, she never grabbed me or pulled me in to this story, and her complete lack of chemistry with Michiel Huisman made this movie even more difficult to watch. Harrison Ford does deliver a good, surprisingly passionate performance, but it was sad to watch him do great work for such a lackluster project. A regret from beginning to end. Boring and dull, The Age of Adaline is certainly not worth a watch. A woman who does not age struggles when she starts to fall in love. Best Performance: Harrison Ford / Worst Performance: Blake Lively