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In 2015, the cinematic world was graced with the movie The Age of Adaline, a romantic drama that combined the elements of timeless love and eternal youth. The compelling narrative of the movie, starring Harrison Ford, Michiel Huisman, and Blake Lively, showcased remarkable performances by the actors which is still fresh in the minds of the audiences. Their memorable portrayal of characters has stood the test of time, trending on Netflix ten years after the film’s release.
The movie portrays the mysterious life of a woman named Adaline Bowman, who stopped aging during the course of a car accident. To avoid people finding out her true identity, she keeps on moving, deceiving her identity. The movie faced controversy as it depicted the relationship between a much older woman with a young man, even though Adaline does not look her age. While the movie has been more popular with audiences than critics, the reviews have emphasized the performance of Blake Lively. Interested in knowing why after 10 years it’s still one of Blake Lively’s best roles? Read on.
The controversial romance shown in The Age of Adaline
Throughout her acting career, Blake Lively has delivered stunning performances. Since her role in Gossip Girl, she has excelled in drama, which also transcended in The Age of Adaline. The movie has faced some controversies relating to Adaline falling in love with the son of her past lover. Though the movie falls into the genre of a time-travel comedy, there are hints of melancholy. The loneliness of the main character is beautifully portrayed by Lively, especially when she sees her daughter growing older than her.
Hollywood has traditionally normalized the age-gap movies when the male protagonist is older than his female partner. However, when it comes to the female protagonist being older, the most touching romance movies have faced scrutiny for portraying romance with a decade-long age gap. In the movie, Adaline is quite older than Ellis Jones, her young lover, and she hides her true age from him. The fact that she is in love with her past lover’s son makes the plot more complex (via People).
Why is The Age of Adaline considered as Blake Lively’s one of the best roles?
Blake Lively’s portrayal of Adaline in The Age of Adaline captured the grace and wisdom of the character along with its underlying melancholy. Adaline, a victim of a paranormal incident, stops aging at the age of 29. To hide her true identity, she has to move from one place to another and change her identity. She feels caged in the exhausting process and being isolated from her loved ones. Things became more difficult when she had to witness her own daughter growing older.
Her dilemma in hiding her true age from Jones is well-depicted by Lively. Her performance conveyed the weight of a century’s worth of experience while maintaining the facade of youth. Critics have praised her role, noting the depth of elegance Lively brought to the character, which maintained the authenticity of the supernatural premises of the movie. She has perfectly embodied the character who is timeless, yet anxious about revealing her true identity and vulnerable. This made her role in The Age of Adaline one of the most significant roles of her career (via Vanity Fair).
Harrison Ford‘s portrayal of William Jones, Ellis’s father and a figure from Adaline’s past, adds a profound layer to the narrative. His performance was widely acclaimed, the depiction of a man finding his lost love after ages added an emotional gravity to the film. According to The Guardian, “This is Harrison Ford’s best performance in 22 years”. The chemistry between Ford and Lively enhanced the storyline with their poised performance.
A supernatural romance with an unusual ending
Undoubtedly, her role in The Age of Adaline paved the way for Lively’s other role in A Simple Favor. She brought the complexity of Adaline’s character in A Simple Favor and was praised for it. The movie met with greater success, as A Simple Favor 2 is now in the works (via People).
The ending of The Age of Adaline is quite unusual for a Hollywood romance. Once the unconventional love story is resolved and Adaline’s true identity is revealed to Jones, she meets another car accident and her aging process restarts supernaturally. She discovers grey hair, and when Jones asks how she feels, she responds that it is perfect. In most Hollywood movies, the aging of women has been portrayed negatively. However, The Age of Adaline breaks these stereotypes by depicting a woman embracing her age in a positive light, making the film truly unique.
Despite getting mixed reviews, the film has garnered a dedicated following, with audiences appreciating its exploration of love, loss, and the human desire for connection. It has also presented Blake Lively’s versatility and depth as an actress.
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