6/10

Living every day like it’s your last is a concept every person tries to abide by. That is difficult for one Adaline Bowman. After miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with handsome philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline stands at the crossroads of a decision that will change her life forever. Director Lee Toland Krieger is just the kind of guy to tell a romantic tale with a twist. After cult success with independent 2012 charmer “Celeste and Jesse Forever”, Krieger continues the success with a surprisingly charasmatic, “The Age of Adaline”. Where normal romance films dry out by the second act due to a repetitively laughable dialogue, this film takes a different approach, crafting many solid laughable moments while playing with how truly ridiculous Adaline’s condition is. The plot has been ridiculous to me ever since i first saw the trailer, and the movie did little to change that moment. The origin of Adaline’s freak change is on the same level of some of the Winter magic done in 2014’s “A Winter’s Tale”, but thankfully it never goes that far. Outside of a plot whose setup is taken from “Friday the 13th Part 6” (You think i’m kidding?), i found many aspects enjoyable. The cinematography is very appealing, with an almost 1940’s golden age look to the background of styles around our main characters. It’s a film that looks very similar to what Angelina Jolie has done as a director with such films as “Unbroken” or “In The Land of Blood and Honey”. The pacing is solid enough that even when the movie feels like it’s hitting those cell phone checking moments, it throws us another twist to an evolving story with these characters with long histories. While the chemistry wasn’t there for me with Lively and Huisman as a romantic couple, it was oddly there whenever Lively conversed with Harrison Ford’s character. I think that was meant as a reflection of how much longer their characters have known each other as opposed to her current relationship with Ford’s son. What i’m saying shouldn’t be a spoiler to anyone who has seen the trailer once, as little is left in the element of surprise after knowing so much about it going into the film. That is one thing i wish could’ve changed, as the movie treats the audience like we are in the dark about these bombshells before the film begins. What lifts “The Age of Adaline” further than every new Nicolas Sparks romance tale we get every year, is the element of solid performances by actors that never allow themselves to be held captive to laughable dialogue. Ford is still an on screen presence that steals a smile or two from me, Ellen Burstyn supplies the laughs of the film every time she pops up as Adaline’s much older looking daughter, and Lively gives a performance to kick her into the stratosphere in her early career. Adaline is a perfect role for her because it allows her the ability to showcase a side to her we havent seen in action films to this point. Overall, i surprisingly enjoyed this film, and i think there’s enough in it to warrant an enjoyable date night for both sides. It’s not too cheesy, and works as much more than a romance story with so many good jokes based on Adaline’s age. Before you age another day, check out this decent film.