The Age of Adaline

Ten minutes into Lee Toland Krieger's sudsy fantasy rom-dram "The Age of Adaline," we are given all the plot information necessary to know exactly what kind of film we are about to experience and, if you are paying attention, how it will turn out. This doesn't mean it won't be an enjoyable sit, as long as you buy into the premise.

It's San Francisco in the 1930s and newly widowed 29-year-old Adaline Bowman is driving home to be with her daughter when it, strangely, begins to snow, which leads to Adeline crashing into a freezing-cold river where her heart stops beating. She is revived by a bajillion-ton bolt of lightning (or some gobbledyblather) and, drum roll, "will never age another day."

You'd think this would be a cool thing but it causes all kinds of problems for Adaline, like the police not believing she simply looks good for her age and, by the time we get to the 1950s, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) sending the CIA to abduct her. She escapes and will spend the rest of her life on the run, changing identities and never allowing herself to fall in love. Huh.

Cut to today, where Adaline meets hottie Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman from "Orphan Black" and "Game of Thrones") and falls in love. Will she finally stop running and tell Ellis that she's really 106-years-old? Will he run screaming? Will she ever age again? And why is Harrison Ford giving her all those creepy looks? I won't ruin things by providing answers but chances are you already know most of them.

Blake Lively, nicely shedding her "Gossip Girl" Serena-persona, proves she has more than old-fashioned movie-star good looks, but screen acting chops to match. She's already given solid performances in "The Town" and "Savages." Here the script forces her to remain fairly calm and subdued, but her eyes speak volumes.

Harrison Ford is quite moving as someone who has a connection to Adaline's past.

Ellen Burstyn delivers the film's best, least-self-conscious performance. She even sneaks in some humor, something this pic sorely lacks.

And therein lies the main problem with "The Age of Adaline." It's too somber, too self-important and, in the last reel, too ridiculously "on the nose." (An expression I hate but is painfully appropriate here.) It's a shame because the idea could have yielded a fascinating exploration of what it's like to be ageless. Instead we get another typical Hollywood film where the romance MUST take center stage and kill any real depth of character and story.

The film is visually stunning and pops magnificently on Blu-ray. All the expense that should have gone into the script went into the production design instead. Clarity of sound is impressive as well.

The Bonus material includes Audio Commentary with Krieger, 2 Deleted Scenes as well as an hour's worth of featurettes on the making of the film.

"The Age of Adaline"
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD
$18.99
http://www.lionsgate.com