The Age of Adaline (2015)

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger
Written by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz
Starring Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn

A young woman, born in 1906 is involved in a freak accident which renders her ageless. As decades pass, she finds herself staying exactly the same as she was. Soon, people begin to notice, causing her to have to live her life constantly on the run. But after a lifetime and a half, she meets a man who might be worth exposing her secret to.

Unlike the titular character, this film keeps no secrets. In an incredibly coherent and detailed way, the cause and effect of what Adaline experienced is explained with uninhibited clarity. With each passing life event, the audience is told exactly where the protagonist stands. However, this does cause the plot to be very predictable.

Regardless of the lack of mystery behind what will happen next, I found myself wanting my prognosis to come to fruition. Everything that happens to the character is what is best for the story. It is most certainly a crowd pleaser.

Arguably, the most engrossing scenes of the film are those in which Harrison Ford first meets (or re-meets) Adaline. He shows an incredible vulnerability unlike I have ever seen from him before. It was as if it wasn't the same man who is Han Solo or Indiana Jones. He was completely unrecognizable in his mannerisms.

The man playing Ford's younger counterpart was incredible as well. He captured the deep, rumbling voice that many of us are accustomed too as well as the slight fluctuations that made it undeniable that this was William (Ford's character) in his 20s.

Blake Lively had the poise and sophistication of an old soul, creating a completely believable characters of a 107 year-old stuck in a 28 year-old's body. She commanded each scene with a grace that was reminiscent of the stars in the golden age of Hollywood.

It is definitely a film you have to be in the right mindset to see. As is the standard with all romantic films, many scenes are cringe worthy and filled with sappy one-liners. But where romances fail, as in the story and acting (I'm looking at you Nicholas Sparks!), this film exceeds expectations.

My Rating: 7/10