What if you never had to get older? It sounds like a blessing at first, but if you think about it, it could easily turn into a curse. In The Age of Adaline, Blake Lively plays a woman who stops aging at 29. The world, however, continues to age around her, and Adaline struggles to lead a normal life.
This magical movie features one of Blake Lively’s best performances, a heart-wrenching love story and a stacked cast. The romantic drama is leaving Netflix on April 1, so this is your last chance to check it out. Here are a few reasons why it’s worth watching.
It’s More Than Just a Romance
In 1937, Adaline is a happily married new mom when a cataclysmic car accident changes her life in an unexpected way. No matter how many years go by, she doesn’t look any older than she did on the day of the accident. When Adaline realizes she’s stopped aging, she tries to figure out what her condition might be, but she finds she is completely unique. Unfortunately for her, she’s not the only one who’s curious.
After two FBI agents try to kidnap and study her, she has to go on the run, changing her identity every few years, in order to evade capture. This life on the run means severing ties with people she loves, never staying in one place for too long, and never drawing attention to herself. She even needs to leave her beloved daughter behind.
Lively Is Just One of the Huge Stars in the Cast
One of the most underrated parts of this movie is its star power. It’s still not clear why more people weren’t talking about Harrison Ford’s performance as Adaline’s long-lost love, William, who just so happens to be the father of her present-day boyfriend. One critic called The Age of Adaline Ford’s “best performance since The Fugitive” and he’s absolutely right. Ford’s terrific here, and makes you wish he acted in more parts like this one throughout his career.
Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn also shines as Adaline’s daughter, Flemming, who appears old enough to be her daughter’s grandmother by the end of the film.
The Costumes and Hair Are Impressive
If you’re a fan of period films, this movie is for you. Adaline’s 107-year life takes her through a wide variety of fashion eras, from flapper dresses to groovy ’60s headbands. And of course, Lively looks phenomenal in all of them.
The movie’s marketing team was way ahead of its time in 2015 when they enlisted influencers to create looks based on the “Fashion Through the Decades” featured in the film.
The Movie Features Blake Lively’s Best Work to Date
Lively is faced with a remarkable acting challenge in this film: portraying a woman who is over 90 years old in the body of a 29-year-old. She rises to the occasion admirably, making a fantastical character feel natural and believable.
The warmth and vulnerability that made audiences fall in love with Lively in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is on full display here as she navigates Adaline’s many complicated relationships. The chemistry between Adaline and her present-day love interest, her daughter, and her past love all sparkle on the screen in this unhurried, thoughtful film.
If you’re in the mood for a soapy romance with a magical realism twist, be sure to watch The Age of Adaline before it leaves Netflix on April 1.
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