Blake Lively is one of those actresses whose career has always seemed slightly ahead of her talent. Nobody came out of Green Lantern or Savages smelling like roses, but Lively in particular seemed out of her depth in both movies. Which is why it is worth noting how good she is in this new fantasy romance. In playing a character lost in time, who inspires devotion in almost everyone she meets, Lively actually steps up to the plate. Her timeless appearance buoys the ethereal quality her character is supposed to project, and Lively pulls it off.
Game of Thrones fans who still resent Michael Huisman for replacing Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis won’t be able to resist the actor’s charms here – he plays gently off Lively, and together they generate decent chemistry. Harrison Ford delivers his mellowest performances in ages in a supporting role. Maybe he has finally emerged from the bad mood that seemed to dominate his acting over the last two decades. Just in time for Star Wars.
The Age of Adaline makes minor gestures towards texturing its romantic flavour, but those gestures are ultimately superseded by its whole-hearted embracing of fate and other squishy notions. Stay far away if romantic movies bother you. For everyone else, this very much delivers on its earnest intentions.
‘The Age of Adaline’ Movie Times
