Read Mixed User Reviews for The Age of Adaline

6

tvnewsguidoFeb 28, 2016

It's a good, not great, romance with a dash of immortality and an excellent turn by Harrison Ford.

The first half is a rather plodding fantasy romance. The film really picks up momentum in the second half and the end, while predictable, isIt's a good, not great, romance with a dash of immortality and an excellent turn by Harrison Ford.

The first half is a rather plodding fantasy romance. The film really picks up momentum in the second half and the end, while predictable, is fun and satisfying. It's worth your time if you enjoy romance with a fantasy twist and excellent performances.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

AlluminnApr 24, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I honestly, really enjoyed this movie. The leads have a great chemistry together, it was really funny, and it felt like a genuine budding romance. And then it leads to one of the most **** contrived, deus ex machina feel-good endings I have seen tacked on to a good movie. Magically, through a ridiculous series of events, her body's aging process is restored so she can live old with "the man she loves" that she met 5 days ago. Just can't believe they ruined a very enjoyable film with such a pedestrian ending, god forbid anyone go outside the "and they lived happily ever after" norm.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

csw12May 25, 2015

The Age of Adaline is the classic example of a movie made by the wrong director. Blake Lively is captivating but the sheer laziness of talking about the most meaningful aspects of her life are not excusable. The narration is embarrassing andThe Age of Adaline is the classic example of a movie made by the wrong director. Blake Lively is captivating but the sheer laziness of talking about the most meaningful aspects of her life are not excusable. The narration is embarrassing and moments are missed. Change everything except the concept and Blake Lively and you will have a good movie on your hands.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

WalterGiraoOct 1, 2015

GREAT: Direction, photography, acting, cast
Bad: script
Of all the possibilities for conflict with such a unique character, the script chose to go with a sick dog and an improbable and forced love triangle. Disappointingly unimaginative.GREAT: Direction, photography, acting, cast
Bad: script

Of all the possibilities for conflict with such a unique character, the script chose to go with a sick dog and an improbable and forced love triangle. Disappointingly unimaginative.

The wasted potential hurts, but it's still a good and above average movie!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

TVJerryApr 29, 2015

After a freak accident, a 29-year-old woman stops aging. She lives a furtive existence for 80 years, until she meets a man (Michiel Huisman) who ignites her desire to love once again. Everything changes when she visits his parents (HarrisonAfter a freak accident, a 29-year-old woman stops aging. She lives a furtive existence for 80 years, until she meets a man (Michiel Huisman) who ignites her desire to love once again. Everything changes when she visits his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker). This is a typical frustrated romance with an interesting sci-fi angle (and a stilted, unneeded narration). The performances aren't exceptional, with the exception of Ford who has some genuinely moving moments. As predictable as it is, the film is attractively shot and effectively tells its story.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

Brent_MarchantApr 26, 2015

A modestly enjoyable romantic fantasy with an intriguing premise that, unfortunately, suffers from a variety of execution problems. Despite strong supporting performances and fine production values, the film falls flat with a pair of leadsA modestly enjoyable romantic fantasy with an intriguing premise that, unfortunately, suffers from a variety of execution problems. Despite strong supporting performances and fine production values, the film falls flat with a pair of leads who are clearly not up to the demands of their roles, coupled with an underdeveloped script and excessively annoying voice-over narration. This one might work fine as a lightweight date movie or night with the girls movie, but don't expect much more than that.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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6

WheelzFourReelzMay 21, 2015

The Age of Adaline is a well acted romance story with an interesting premise that doesn't quite realize all the story possibilities it could pull off. It's an entertaining film, in a light and fluffy way.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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6

DelTorroOct 8, 2015

So, it's basically Highlander without the sword fighting (that's a joke). But, the premise is basically a woman who doesn't age and the affect that it has on her relationships. The plot can be infuriating in parts, straight up dumb in othersSo, it's basically Highlander without the sword fighting (that's a joke). But, the premise is basically a woman who doesn't age and the affect that it has on her relationships. The plot can be infuriating in parts, straight up dumb in others and I feel overall there was a lot of missed potential. The acting is actually quite good though, Harrison Ford especially and if you can take it for what it's worth it's pretty enjoyable with a couple of noteworthy scenes.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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6

SchroederRockFeb 21, 2016

I was constantly wanting to love this movie, but I never could quite get there. Age of Adaline is a fun idea with a talented cast that's hindered only by odd narrative choices, both in story and in spoken form, that force too much scientificI was constantly wanting to love this movie, but I never could quite get there. Age of Adaline is a fun idea with a talented cast that's hindered only by odd narrative choices, both in story and in spoken form, that force too much scientific explanation into what's happening to her. Without spoiling any major parts of the plot, I think the story would have been better served with a more impactful ending, instead of the more upbeat one found. The pacing was also of some concern for me - too often I asked my friends "how far are we into this movie?", because it felt longer than it really was. If you're not a stickler for film and enjoy a more drama-geared movie, Adaline is not a wasted viewing experience, but for the more critical crowd, especially those that appreciate a good pace of progression, this movie will more likely leave you feeling "meh".… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

lasttimeisawAug 25, 2015

Thematically this movie is a romantic tall-tale, taps into the same territory of immorality like Richard Schenkman’s inventive indie Sci-Fi THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007, 7/10), Adaline Bowman (Lively), a woman stuck at the age of 29 foreverThematically this movie is a romantic tall-tale, taps into the same territory of immorality like Richard Schenkman’s inventive indie Sci-Fi THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007, 7/10), Adaline Bowman (Lively), a woman stuck at the age of 29 forever thanks to a miracle happened when an car accident incurred on her, which an omniscient voiceover laboriously tries to explain from a scientific angle, as if today's technology has completely solved the mystery of living forever, even only superficially, we don’t buy it for a minute, instead of justifying the unjustifiable, why not just leave it open? Uncanny things happen all the time.

keep reading my review on my blog, please google: cinema omnivore, thanks… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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6

SpangleJun 26, 2017

Armed with narration that makes it sound like a mystery show about a vicious murder on the Investigation Discovery channel, The Age of Adaline is a romantic fantasy film about the Curious Case of Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively). Living anArmed with narration that makes it sound like a mystery show about a vicious murder on the Investigation Discovery channel, The Age of Adaline is a romantic fantasy film about the Curious Case of Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively). Living an average, if unextraordinary, life initially, Adaline's existence is throw into disarray one night. After the death of her husband, she is driving to meet her parents who have her daughter Fleming with them to spend the weekend. However, after a rare California snow dusting, the slick roads lead to her getting into a car accident. Nearing death, she is shocked back to life by a lightning bolt that hits the water she is submerged in and, unbeknownst to her, it changes her life forever. From that day on, she stops aging. What unfolds is a film that may not be revolutionary, but is nonetheless an interesting concept realized in a minor chick flick fashion that manages to still be interesting, but too focused on being cute to really delve too deep into its questions.

Ignoring the fact that poor Adaline is an awful driver and that defibrilators/lighting do not have that kind of impact on a person, The Age of Adaline is nonetheless a compelling film. Introducing the fact that she is now set to live forever, the film smartly shows the good with the bad. Given all the time in the world, she can slowly grow her investment portfolio, accumulate knowledge about various world events, and learn many different languages. Constantly moving and getting new identities to hide from those who would want to study her, Adaline also gets the rare chance to live many different lives and to see a variety of places throughout the world, though her heart is always in San Francisco. Being able to live forever, if one is willing to accept the bad, can be an enlightening experience that has allowed Adaline to have a ringside seat to history for the entirety of her life.

However, the bad is very bad. Having to disconnect from emotion in its entirety, Adaline only allows herself two things: her daughter Fleming (Ellen Burstyn) and her dog. Unfortunately, when that dog dies, she is forced to once again confront the fact that everybody else is mortal and she is cursed with immortality. Pushing away men who would fill the void in her life quite gladly, Adaline's existence may be one that is knowledge-filled, but it is empty. She has been forced to box her emotions away in order to avoid feeling hurt over-and-over again whenever somebody she loved passed away. At a certain point, watching the men and animals you love constantly die becomes depressing and opening your heart to another love becomes something to actively avoid out of fear of letting your heart get broken yet again. While the film never really goes beyond the horror of living forever being found in constantly losing those that you love (plus the inevitability of Fleming's death), it remains a compelling issue that the film smartly focuses upon. In introducing one of her old love interests, William (Harrison Ford), the added wrinkle of telling William that Adaline is dead (she was going under the alias of Jenny, claiming that Adaline was her mother) is an interesting one. With Ford turning in a very good performance, he allows us to see the pain on his face when he learns that Adaline died, both the solemn realization that he is getting old and the knowledge that what he had with her is gone forever without any hope. In a way, this is the film's method of telling the audience that avoiding heartbreak is impossible. Instead, it is a part of life whether you age or not. However, at the very least, William's aging has allowed him to find a woman he loves in place of Adaline and not be forced to watch her, or anyone else's, life from the outside looking in to avoid being hurt. It has allowed him to live, have regrets, look to the past fondly, and look to the future with equal fondness. For Adaline, however, she has regrets, but has no life out of fear of the future and out of pain dominating the past.

However, through its constantly obtrusive narrator that just spits out exposition at an unrelenting pace, The Age of Adaline feels afraid to really explore its possibly complex and moving themes. Instead, it opts to sanitize it and bring it down to wide-ranging accessibility. In the process, it opts to go for quick grabs at pathos - dead dog - and not developing its supporting characters beyond the very bare minimum. As a result, the film winds up feeling rather sterilized. While director Lee Toland Krieger may have wanted to explore deeper ideas, this is not the script or the film where that as possible with the narration and general "playing-it-safe" nature of the film really undermining its heady themes.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

AliceofXMay 12, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First I guess I have to mention the narration. I'll never understand why movies have unnecessary narration that is only good for killing the mood. It's hard to enjoy a film when it just spoon feeds you things. That's the one thing that really annoyed me, but beyond that it is just dull. Slow pace should try to compensate with a good plot. Age of Adaline does not have that. It just predictably drags on to an ending you could see from a mile away.

The biggest problem is that Adaline just comes on the scene and she is perfect. We don't see her grow as a character, change through the times or have anything that makes her interesting. It might have worked in film that focused on the plot, but a character focused film can't have a main character be this boring.

Other characters are okay but they just seem like accessories to show how amazing Adaline is.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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5

andraJun 21, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The casting was not the problem, on the contrary, Blake Lively was quite believable as someone who is 107 years old. The ending was what ruined, which was extremely unbelievable and the fact that out of the whole plot they could only come up with a weird love triangle and a "love conquers all" type of scenario. Am I the only one who is weird-ed out by the fact that the father is still in love with Adaline, so is the son....she basically had intimate relations with both but....decides to remain with the son?
How do you go about family dinners, eh?
The second half of the movie didn't deserve that treatment,....if treated right, it could have made it a good movie instead of a mediocre one.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

Esskandar85Mar 5, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It wasn't charming for me, Just can say life is to short appreciate that and live in the moment.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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5

DFCOLOMBINIJun 13, 2023

A idéia do filme é muito boa, porém fica nisso mesmo... parece que faltou um ponto alto no filme pra poder terminar....

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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