El secreto de Adaline

As I'm the romantic type, it would be hard for me to keep being objective. I will also avoid peeling some onions to not make this any harder.

Of course it's not the first time a movie is focused on the forever young theme. It's actually becoming redundant and to be frank not always beautifully used as it should be.

But Adaline is a good exception and this beautiful story will let you shed some tears and give you a warm feeling that life has many beautiful things to offer so we have to enjoy every opportunity given to our eyes. Of course it's not as powerful as Titanic or Gone with the Wind but it is without a doubt one of the best movies I've seen this year.

The main reason is probably Blake Lively. She is illuminating in this movie and we could feel that she owns Adaline throughout the story. She's always in the right tone, the right emotion and she transported me throughout the movie. The rest of the cast is doing great too especially Harrison Ford who I was surprised to see in that kind of movie. This is proving me how great and talented this actor is. He gave to this old man haunted by his past a real deal of emotions.

So here it is. Now let me empty that brand new tissue box next to me and wish you a nice ride in Adaline Land.

This is a standard love story drama. It could have been so much more, but the actors could only take what they're given so far.

The writers/etc could have turned the age element of the movie into something truly unique, and explored the interesting angles it offers (is it possible to have many 'true loves'? How would a wizened woman of many years express herself whilst encased in the body of a late twenties young woman? How would she act in critical situations which faze less experienced people? How would she keep up with the times? What jobs or knowledge would she focus on? How would she nurture the legacy she leaves behind in the form of her sons and daughters?).

Instead, the movie went for the superficial, flimsy, easy options (examples: she's great at navigating traffic because she's had decades to learn the city's shortcuts, she wears a lot of old-cut clothing), and turned the main protagonist into a ditsy ditherer at key moments that needed a more delicate and refined touch (her attitude when being chatted up at parties, her car breaking down, meeting her lover's family for the first time). Even the jobs she has and the skills she's acquired are just sort of padding and not really explored despite being a key choice she's made.

Basically, the whole movie focuses on the love story between this protagonist and her new boyfriend despite already having a potentially very interesting female lead character that could have been developed so much more elegantly; a new boyfriend might be a part of that, that makes sense... but it took up far too much of the film's focus when there were other topics that needed some development too. It felt like a feast of potentially interesting avenues were hinted at in the writing, and yet the main route taken was the typical stereotype love story. Why bother kicking off the story with such an interesting twist if it just becomes part of the backdrop and doesn't influence the characters' behaviour?

That leads me onto a final point which made me increasingly uncomfortable when watching the film – the way the male lead character pressures and pushes the lead protagonist into going out with him is a bit unnerving. He publicly pressures her into having a photo taken in front of her colleagues when she's clearly unsettled by it, and then offers her a way out: go on a date with him. Hm. They part ways. Then later on he finds out her address (via her workplace?!) which she wanted to keep private, and just pops up to stalk her a bit more. The first half of their dynamic is her pushing him away, placating him, etc. and him being far too full on – it's not romantic, it's really creepy to see, and it's another point where I think a woman of over 100 wouldn't behave in the "no doesn't really mean no" ditsy schoolgirl manner, which quite frankly was a bit weird. It made me uncomfortable watching it when supposedly the movie's main intention was to make me think this new relationship was "cute". It wasn't. It was just stalker-ish!

If you can have Harrison Ford in your movie and you just introduce him almost an hour into the movie and it still works: You know you have a winner. Generally speaking the actors involved are phenomenal. It's a joy to watch them. Even if some situations seem a bit sugar coated (not too much though) and there is the occasional cliché in it, the science fiction element of it, still makes this very interesting.

You have a lot of things that are being "told" by looks. Which again is a big part of the acting talent at hand. You may be able to see where this is going (a few indicators early on, but even without them), but it's still a fun ride to have

Lee Toland Kriger's The Age of Adaline is a superb romantic thanks to its lead duo. Blake Lively is Adaline, the fair immortal who hasn't aged for several decades due to a severe car crash. She goes from relationship to relationship, from town to town, never settling down. A risky chance comes in the form of Ellis (Huisman), a stylish man whose intellect almost matches Adaline's own. Their encounters are warm, humorous and touching. Great support comes from Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker as Ellis' parents. Nudges of surrealism make TAoA vary from the usual romantic stories. Its voice-over, telling Adaline's 'miraculous' tale, is its only downfall. The unknown storyteller attempts to justify Adaline's conditions, but it comes across as a magnificent coincidence instead.

No wise man ever wished to be younger." Jonathan Swift Walking into the cinema... Intrigueing is the word that comes to mind with The Age of Adaline. It is hard to categorise this film. Is it fantasy, a romance, a philosophical exercise, or a combination of them all? Overall rating: 3.5 stars Cinematic value: 3 stars Big Questions value: 4 stars What would you do if you were to remain 29 years of age for the rest of your life? Some might think that this would be ideal, while others would consider this to be a horrifying experience. This is the life of Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively). Through a series of fantastic phenomena, she has remained as a 29 year old for eight decades. She has to experience a life of solitude and separation, because she cannot age with those that she is closest to in her life. Her life is veiled in secrecy, until she meets Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), a philanthropist who ignites her passion for life and unknowingly he is a link to her past. What seems to be an innocent weekend away, becomes a crossroads for the truth and a chance for her to decide what she will do with the rest of her life. I will admit it, a good romance is a joy to experience. Romances may not be my favourite genre, but they have their place in cinematic history. The Age of Adeline will not win awards for groundbreaking film making, but it does fill a void in this year's celluloid offerings. It is a good, straight forward, romantic journey. Even with the fantasy element of eternal youth, this was a good film for the romantic at heart. It can get a bit sappy, but it is a satisfying tale. Indie director Lee Toland Krieger (Celeste and Jesse Forever) is able to incorporate a level of geekiness to satisfy any male audience members without sacrificing the primary storyline. His measured style develops a believability of this inventive story. Kreiger hearkens back to the beautiful romances of bygone eras, where subtlety and magnificent cinematography aid in delivering a beautiful romance. With the same level of measured performance, Blake Lively is excellent as the lead. She portrays the melancholy of a woman who lives with the mind of an elderly woman trapped in a perpetually young body. She allows herself to fall for Ellis, who is an old soul in a young man's body. Huisman brings a depth of character that makes this relationship right for both of them. One of the challenges of decade jumping films is the ageing of key characters, but Kreiger manages to make this element convincing. From the excellent supporting performances from Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn to the young actors that portrayed them in earlier decades, these characters were convincing and do not cause any distraction. Admittedly, the unfortunate component of watching this genre is the anticipation of sappiness or the inevitable tragedy. The Age of Adaline is a romance and contains some of these inevitable trappings, but due to the melancholy of the lead character and the control she has to shoulder for eight decades, this tale contains the bitter sweetness needed to move beyond the syrupy elements of many good hearted romances. Which leaves the verdict that Kreiger delivers an appealing and enjoyable romance. Before the opening sequence, this romantic adventure provides some of the best discussion points in recent cinema. In our era of desired eternal youth or the desire to merely appearing young, The Age of Adaline allows the audience to see the curse that this gift can be on anyone's life. It helps that Blake Lively is an attractive woman and manages to not experience any disfiguring accidents in her one-hundred and seven years. Which could cause a level of disbelief in the story, but does not become a consideration. Her pain seems to come from being attractive to most men, but she cannot allow herself to respond to their advances and she is only is allowed to be close with her dog, Reggie. Thoughts move from eternal youth to eternal life. Her melancholic spirit is shown in her awareness of this life that she remains trapped in. There has to be more as death occurs all around her, but she seems to be eternally trapped. She maintains a mental strength to not seek death as the answer to her pain, but death does add to the shadow that envelops her life. If that is not enough, Adaline has to lie and say farewell to all who come into her life. Her life is a moral conundrum and explains why she seems to be a shell of a woman throughout much of the film, until she is eventually allowed to tell the truth and live the life she never thought she could live. The Age of Adaline proves to be more than a romance. It is a philosophical journey packaged as this year's romance. Leaving the cinema: Is it ironic that a film of ageless beauty would be packaged in the film making style of yesteryear? This felt like a romance from the past, but will meet modern audiences with a fresh view on romance. This is a film that can bring out the romantic in anyone. It may have a sappy element, but it is satisfying and may make the date night dinner conversation deeper and more meaningful. Reel Dialogue: What are the bigger questions to consider from this film? 1. Would you want to be forever young? (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 2 Timothy 2:22) 2. Is an eternal soul better off being in heaven than on earth? (John 14:2, Philippians 3:20) Written by Russell Matthews based on a five star rating system