On paper, it is tough to describe The Age of Adaline without feeling a great sense of disbelief, but as offerings in the Romance Genre continue to dwindle, we couldn’t help but feel enchanted by this latest effort from Celeste & Jesse Forever Director Lee Toland Krieger.
The Fantasy is set around a widowed young Woman born in 1908 named Adaline (Blake Lively), whom after the most unusual combination of circumstances, finds herself ageless after an accident. As years pass and her looks unfading, the FBI become highly suspicious of her and at the risk of her becoming a laboratory Specimen, she is forced to flee, taking on new identity, leaving behind her Daughter who continues to age while Adaline remains the same. Flash forward several years to a modern day San Francisco, Adaline who now is known as Jenny, meets aptly on New Year’s Eve the striking and well-to-do Ellis (Michiel Husman). Harbouring her secret, Jenny remains on-guard, careful not to let-in a persistent Ellis for fear of hurting him. Jenny is forced to confront her deepest secret after another unlikely encounter which could destroy any possibility of Jenny and Ellis remaining together. What would happen if he knew her secret?
Lively makes a long-awaited return to the Big Screen after a maternity break and is simply effervescent here. If it were Casting’s task to find Timeless Beauty, they found its epitome in her. The fashion also in itself is reason enough to keep us fixated and Lively puts her best foot forward trying to reconcile the old soul and contemporary sensibility of her Character, although it at times feels effortful. She comes into her own late when she is faced with letting go and becoming Jenny. Harrison Ford is an interesting choice and adds great (perhaps some times too much) intensity to the Story as it unravels late. Leading Man Huisman whose Résumé is lengthier than one might believe as a rapidly emerging Star, has great presence even though he is relegated to the sidelines late. Were he any less charming, his Ellis well could have veered to the creepy with his persistence.
Krieger does well taking us away on Adaline‘s mystical journey and Lively‘s ardent Fanbase will be delighted. Tears will be shed – you’ve been warned.
eOne Films release THE AGE OF ADALINE on Friday, April 24, 2015.
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