THE AGE OF ADALINE : Sunday 19th April 2015.

On a cold Wintry Sunday evening in Adelaide I decided to see 'THE AGE OF ADALINE' having seen the shorts for it a couple of weeks ago and thought that this romantic epic fantasy story spanning many decades looked interesting. And sure enough, I wasn't disappointed! Not being one for weepy, sappy, saccharine romantic movies myself, I was pleasantly surprised because this film is not that, and it comes with fantasy elements, spans one hundred years or so, is an engaging story, well cast, and it poses a few questions that you may ponder over one evening with friends.

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger, the film opens with the young girl Adaline (Blake Lively) shortly after the turn of the 20th Century growing up in the burgeoning American economy. She meets a handsome young guy, marries, has a daughter and then one evening driving home in a storm through winding country roads an unlikely snow storm in California's Sanoma County causes her to veer off the road, through a crash barrier and into the river below. Her life in an instant changes forever!

With the car upturned, water rushing in, snow falling and the temperature dropping Adaline is knocked unconscious and slips beneath the icy water, her life ebbing away. Her almost lifeless body battles to stay alive as her heartbeat drops dramatically and her vital organs begin to shut down. A freak lightning strike on the car after two or so minutes sends a huge electric current through the car and through Adaline jolting her back to life, warming her body instantly and giving her back the strength to crawl from the wreckage onto the riverbank. From this accident although she survives, she from this point forward never age beyond the 29 years she was at the time of this freak accident.

The voiceover talks us through the 'science' of this extraordinary life altering event and the consequences this has had upon Adaline's life through the decades that follow. As we fast forward now to the early 21st Century we see Adaline going about her daily routine in her San Francisco apartment, caring for her dog, going to work and leading almost a 'normal' life - still not a day over 29 even though she is in reality now 100+. Aside from her daughter no one else knows her 'secret' and Adaline has spent the last eighty or so years changing her identity (she now goes by the name of Jenny), never establishing any roots, and not getting involved with anyone who may expose her secret - she even shies away from photo's and giving out her address in case someone should find out more about her unique history and therefore expose her as a 'curiosity', or a 'novelty' or someone who should be closely researched.

Things change however, when Ellis Jones (Michael Huisman) comes into her life. He is a wealthy philanthropist who like Jenny shares a love for the arts, literature, history and he falls hopelessly for her. She reciprocates his feelings but is frightened about getting too close. It is her daughter though, Flemming (Ellen Burstyn) who is now old enough to be Jenny's Grandmother who urges her to find true happiness for once in her life, and to finally stop running. Cautiously and somewhat reluctantly Jenny heeds the advice of her daughter.

As the relationship grows Ellis announces that he needs to travel home for the weekend for his parents 40th wedding anniversary celebrations and he would like Jenny to join him - to which she accepts. Upon meeting Dad, William Jones (Harrison Ford) and Mum Connie (Kathy Baker), William instantly recognises Jenny as Adaline and is knocked for a home run, because 40 years ago he had intended to propose. They were 'very close' having met in England and then returned home to the US together after a whirlwind romance. She broke it off and left him standing never to be seen again, until now. Jenny says that Adaline was her mother which is why the resemblance is so striking, but reveals to a shocked and surprised William that her mother died six years ago.

This appeases William, for now, and whilst almost speechless by this turn of events is accepting of the smoke & mirrors story fabricated by Jenny. As the weekend progresses however, we learn more of the relationship through flash back and the means by which William can reveal Jenny's true identity as his first love Adaline. She bolts when the truth and Ellis' love become too much to bear and disappearing into the night behind the wheel of his car she is involved once again in a near fatal car accident that sends her again into hypothermia and has her battling for her life as it gradually slips away in her unconscious state. Brought back from the brink by the paramedics and a defibrillator, she is saved again as she was almost eight decades ago.

Waking in the hospital with Ellis looking on, she reveals her 'secret' as daughter Flemming arrives, who at first introduces herself as Jenny's Grandmother. By now though Ellis is in the picture, and from here on it's all smiles, sunshine and rainbows! In the final frames there is one more little twist that will bring a smile as true love always finds a way!

This is a US$25M feel good, heart warming and emotional story of love overcoming adversity amidst the most obscure fantastical circumstances. The cast are strong and believable as the central couple keep it grounded and real. The only adverse feedback for me surrounds the voice over commentary which I felt a little jarring at times and perhaps too much, but this is a minor detail only. Get out there with a loved one, or for a girls night out, as this is better than you might think and certainly a cut above your usual romantic fare.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-