The Age of Adaline * * *

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Heres a review for all the American’s who read this blog - all 2 of you (yes, I flatter myself). For this much anticipated film has been released in Australia a week or so before the United States. I don’t know why; if we Aussies don’t like it it will be a bit late to fine tune it now.

In some ways The Age of Adaline reminded me of Benjamin Button. A ludicrous situation made believable through seductive storytelling. This is gorgeous to look at.  I wont be spoiling anything by telling you the basic premise: a woman, born in 1908 has a freak accident in the 1930's which causes her metabolism to change so that she can no longer grow older. She’ll just keep on living whilst everyone else gets old and dies: she will always be 29. A condition we’d all kill for - except it comes with the fear of being discovered and treated as a freak-show, or watching everyone you love grow old and die. Which leaves her no choice but to terminate long-term friendships, avoid relationships, and keep on the move. It’s not really that much fun for her.

Adaline is played by Blake Lively. She is a glorious creation with her bearing, patience, and ability to read people. She has all the beauty of a 29 year old woman and all the wisdom of someone who has lived over a 100 years. She is an impossible being (of course), but she's the best celluloid heroine that's come along in years, reminding one of the classic screen goddesses of the forties.

Unfortunately, shortly after introducing her to us they damage this fascinating creation by making her fall in love with Ellis.  I found him about as charming as that nut-job from Fifty Shades of Grey - a stalker and an extortionist. Surely the writers could have come up with a nicer guy than this for her! Anyway, he gets to play The Prince who she gets involved with after creepy insistence from him and encouragement from her 80 year old daughter (their's is a cute relationship) . However, seeing that she has lived a long life and met many people, when Adaline goes to meet Ellis’s father (Harrison Ford) recognition and complications begin.

For me, the best part of the film was the beginning when we see her in all her independent glory, before she is compromised for the sake of this love story. I know it is a romance first and a fantasy second, but I can’t help wondering how much better this film would have been if we had seen more of her living the life she has for the last 100 odd years rather than these most recent few months. I just felt they had created the most fascinating screen character in recent years and sacrificed her to a much lesser being. But maybe some people will like her romantic interest, and if so The Age of Adaline will tick all the boxes.