Imagine never growing old—living for decades at the age you are now. The romance movie, “The Age of Adaline,” premiered in theaters Friday, and it did not disappoint.
“The Age of Adaline” stars Blake Lively, Harrison Ford, Michiel Huisman and Ellen Burstyn. The movie is rated PG-13.
The storyline follows the story of Adaline Bowman (Lively), a woman who stopped aging at 29-years-old following a car wreck in 1937. Adaline quickly learns being 29 forever is not as great as she thought it to be, and she is forced to live her life on the run.
After meeting the love of her life, the wealthy and handsome Ellis Jones (Huisman) and his father William (Ford), Adaline finally decides she is tired of running and shares her secret with Ellis, after some persuading from her daughter Flemming (Burstyn).
Although Lively has starred in other movies and television programs, including “Gossip Girl” and “Savages,” this is the first time she has played a main character.
According to ABC News, “The Age of Adaline” is all about Lively coming out as a movie star.
“But this is the first major movie she’s carried, and she undeniably has that X-factor: a warmth and charm that seems effortless, with that hint of aloofness that only the major stars have,” ABC News said.
While Lively gives a great performance, the character she plays is slightly disappointing. Adaline has been 29 for several decades, but other than her skill at Trivial Pursuit, knowledge of several languages and a huge wardrobe of historical dresses, there is no evidence she has lived through different time periods or experienced various facets of life.
The New York Times calls Adaline an uninteresting woman for someone who has lived through so much.
“Here, though, she delivers a muted, largely opaque performance, an unfortunate choice given that Adaline shows few signs of having lived through two world wars, the space age, the Beatles, the invention of the pill, the civil rights movement, second-wave feminism, punk rock, or really, anything at all,” The New York Times said.
Regardless, this is definitely a must-see for fans of romance movies. The movie has flash backs to different decades and places, making it different than other romance movies.
The best part of “The Age of Adaline” is it is not overly corny for a romance movie. Despite the fact that Adaline cannot age, her relationship with Ellis is realistic. The movie even tries to give a realistic explanation for why Adaline stopped aging.
The Los Angeles Times calls it “a welcome change from the Nicholas Sparks brand of mush that has overtaken the hearts-and-flowers corner of movieland.”
Along with Adaline and Ellis’s relationship, Adaline’s relationship with her daughter Flemming is heartwarming. Even though Flemming is in her 70’s and Adaline is 29, they still communicate like a typical mother and daughter. Flemming is also the only person who knows Adaline’s secret. While this strains their relationship at times, in the end it brings them even closer.
“The Age of Adaline” is a must-see for romance movie fans, and is a great choice for a date-night. The happy and sad moments played by beautiful Lively and handsome Huisman throughout the decades are entertaining and heartwarming.
“Whether you’re smitten by this romantic drama or not, like everything else in ‘Adaline,’ even the tears are lovely to look at,” Los Angeles Times reported.
