Score: 2.5/5
Aging is inevitable — unless you drive your car into a lake and get struck by lightning, of course.
Blake Lively gives a heartwarming performance as Adaline Bowman, despite Adaline not having any specific qualities to make her likeable.
Adaline, born in 1908, was involved in a tragic accident in 1937 where she should have died, but by some magical forces, she becomes immortal at 29.
She lives her life on the run, vowing never to get attached to anyone because she will outlive them all. In spite of this, she gets married and has a daughter — although she only truly falls in love once — with a man named William Jones, played by Harrison Ford.
She breaks away from him after learning he planned to propose to her and goes through life under the radar, creating new identities for herself every 10 years to avoid drawing any attention.
However, this all comes crashing down when she meets Ellis Jones, played by Michiel Huisman. Falling fast for him, he invites her to his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary celebration.
Unknown to Adaline, Ellis is the son of William. With this threatening to uncover her secret, she’s forced into an emotional tug-of-war about the situation.
The ending of the film is just as confusing and frustrating as the beginning, making viewers feel like they’re watching “Tuck Everlasting” 2.0.
The events are narrated to cite a mixture of magic and science to explain the plotline, although it’s clear neither of these elements are portrayed correctly.
Overall, the film was completely unrealistic in every facet but was somehow still enjoyable.
The performances by Lively, Ford and Kathy Baker were convincing and believable despite the fantasy plotline.
The unsettling part was the way the characters were so accepting of Adaline’s condition, regardless of her having no sound explanation for how or why she became immortal.
It also was confusing as to why so many men virtually threw themselves at her throughout the movie. She’s obviously beautiful, but the character has no real personality.
However, the film is not a total flop. It’s appealing to anyone with a soft spot for romantic scenes, as it succeeds in capturing the rollercoaster of emotions people expect to witness in this genre.
Ashlyn Rollins is an 18-year-old mass communication freshman from Alexandria, Louisiana. You can reach her on Twitter @ash_r96.