USA 2015
Opening July 9, 2015
Directed by: Lee Toland Krieger
Writing credits: J. Mills Goodloe, Salvador Paskowitz
Principle actors: Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew, Hugh Ross, Lynda Boyd
What if, at age 29, a fateful accident becomes a magical occurrence whereby you live through decades without aging? Such is Adaline Bowman’s (Lively) existence. The unexplainable cause has significant effects. Intellectually sophisticated, her charismatic comportment sustains agelessness, even as Adaline’s daughter (Burstyn) and friends’ mature. Until pursuit by probing, questioning individuals propels her into anonymity. Preparing for a time-honored move, Adaline serendipitously meets the young, energetically charming entrepreneur Ellis (Huisman). Immediately drawn to one another, and with Flemming’s encouragement, Adaline lets her guard down, and agrees to attend Ellis’ parents 40th anniversary party. Where a chance encounter with her past sends Adaline spiraling.
Writers J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz explore the many dimensions of love, aging, and death from the perspective of a multifaceted woman in this character-driven drama. To sell producers this phantasmal story, director Lee Toland Krieger presented a seven-minute mood reel to visually get across his ideas. It worked. From the dawn of the 20th century until the present 21st—world altering wars, revolutionizing social norms, technology growth, unparallel conveniences—well-placed flashbacks and Lively’s perceptive interpretation holds our attention. Seasoned thespians Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn fuel its believability: all deliver keen performances, and production values are proficient. A smidgen too long, still its easy-watching good entertainment value. English, subtitled; 112 minutes ()