The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
#1
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
(Didn't see a thread on "The Age of Adaline" via a search on the title, mods, please merge if there is a previous thread for it.)
I really didn't think Blake Lively could have pulled off the main role of Adaline, a woman who somehow after an accident doesn't age a day afterwards. She has the looks of a woman in her mid-to-late 20s, and does so from the first quarter of the 20th century and into current day. She's seen a lot, and has been on the run all of her life. Lively is quite charming and emotionally accessible, while garnering earned empathy in her approach to the character of Adaline. She's cautious, but not bitter, she accepts her condition and acts to protect those she loves, even at the expense of being without them.
The tone of the film is the selling point of the film for me. There's a sense of loneliness from outliving one's loved ones, and not wanting to get close to people for the same reasons, that pervades the film, but not in a morose manner, but still gets across pangs of existing, but not quite living as if each moment could be your last.
Overall, even with the dramatic overtones as Adaline's past catches up with her in unexpected ways, the film is quite enchanting.
I give it 3 stars or a grade of B.
I really didn't think Blake Lively could have pulled off the main role of Adaline, a woman who somehow after an accident doesn't age a day afterwards. She has the looks of a woman in her mid-to-late 20s, and does so from the first quarter of the 20th century and into current day. She's seen a lot, and has been on the run all of her life. Lively is quite charming and emotionally accessible, while garnering earned empathy in her approach to the character of Adaline. She's cautious, but not bitter, she accepts her condition and acts to protect those she loves, even at the expense of being without them.
The tone of the film is the selling point of the film for me. There's a sense of loneliness from outliving one's loved ones, and not wanting to get close to people for the same reasons, that pervades the film, but not in a morose manner, but still gets across pangs of existing, but not quite living as if each moment could be your last.
Overall, even with the dramatic overtones as Adaline's past catches up with her in unexpected ways, the film is quite enchanting.
I give it 3 stars or a grade of B.
#2
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
Saw this last night with my girl and liked it quite a bit. I enjoyed the little pseudo-sci-fi angles it had going. It was like a junior Highlander flick minus the sword fights and decapitations. Blake did a great job, too.
#3
Moderator
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
#5
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
I enjoyed this more then I thought I would. I could have done without the science explaining the effect on her, and for some reason the narrator's voice bugged me (maybe too many movies with deeper voices have spoiled me). The editing could have been a little bit better as far as various flashbacks too, but overall it was entertaining if not predictable. Honestly, I liked the little bits of history the most - especially as they see them from present day San Francisco.
Some moments were genuinely sweet for me.
Some moments were genuinely sweet for me.
Spoiler:
#6
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
#7
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
]I saw this opening weekend and I liked it. It wasn't extremely great, but it was a good take on the topic of immortality. I liked that borrowed different tropes from other movies and TV shows. I liked the borrowed trope of the immortal character having a daughter. I also liked the very brief aspect of
Spoiler:
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
I thought it was OK and I wasn't surprised to see one of the writers also adapted the Nicolas Sparks novel, The Best of Me as there were plenty of "Spark"-isms in this especially the coincidence that
Still, it was fine and the performances for the most part were will done. I also found the narration, particularly at the end, to not only be annoying but kind of laughable, taking the audience through step by step what was happening.
***/*****, (C+, 6.2/10, 2.5/4)
Spoiler:
Still, it was fine and the performances for the most part were will done. I also found the narration, particularly at the end, to not only be annoying but kind of laughable, taking the audience through step by step what was happening.
***/*****, (C+, 6.2/10, 2.5/4)
#9
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Age of Adaline (2015, Lee Toland Krieger) S: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford
I finally caught this. I think what few people commented on this, summarized the film quite well. I'd give it a solid/high B.
Lively does really well with her role and consistently imparts sorrow and loneliness from start to finish. The supporting cast does well too. Although aside from Michel Huisman they don't have too much material to work with.
The standout of the film though has to be the director and cinematography. Together they really import a haunted air through the film across all the time periods.
I don't know if this was based on a book, but I had two drawbacks to the film that really kept me from giving it a solid A. First, the sequence of parts of the film felt off. I do understand what one person above said about this being Highlander without swords. One thing Highliander did really well was transitioning scenes between past and present. Plus Lamber sold the scenes as if he was stepping back and having a memory. I found myself believing Adaline had been there when she spoke of past times, but the movie reel felt force, and camping with Harrison Ford's character was actually a memory from his perspective. Probably the best flashback, although brief, was the park bench.
The second issue I had was the narrator. Based on his omnipotent viewpoint it's as if he was from some time in the future. Really took me out of the film at the beginning and end.
Despite this two gripes I did enjoy the film. And oddly despite its near two hour runtime I felt it could have been longer and used the time to show Adaline in the past.
Lively does really well with her role and consistently imparts sorrow and loneliness from start to finish. The supporting cast does well too. Although aside from Michel Huisman they don't have too much material to work with.
The standout of the film though has to be the director and cinematography. Together they really import a haunted air through the film across all the time periods.
I don't know if this was based on a book, but I had two drawbacks to the film that really kept me from giving it a solid A. First, the sequence of parts of the film felt off. I do understand what one person above said about this being Highlander without swords. One thing Highliander did really well was transitioning scenes between past and present. Plus Lamber sold the scenes as if he was stepping back and having a memory. I found myself believing Adaline had been there when she spoke of past times, but the movie reel felt force, and camping with Harrison Ford's character was actually a memory from his perspective. Probably the best flashback, although brief, was the park bench.
The second issue I had was the narrator. Based on his omnipotent viewpoint it's as if he was from some time in the future. Really took me out of the film at the beginning and end.
Despite this two gripes I did enjoy the film. And oddly despite its near two hour runtime I felt it could have been longer and used the time to show Adaline in the past.