'Age of Adaline' released in 2015, remains popular in 2023: Here's why
Often it feels as though time flies by, but for some it stands still. Such is the case for the title character of The Age of Adaline, released in 2015 but currently popular still because of Blake Lively’s timeless appeal. The film is out right now on Netflix. She plays the main character, a woman named Adaline who doesn’t age after an accident in which her car crashed into a pond during a storm. Adaline was on the way to see her daughter, and her heart stopped beating, but when a lightning bolt struck her car it restarted her heart but it also paused her aging. As a result, she remains 29 for nearly 80 years. She even watched her daughter grow older than her. In part due to this compelling plot but also for a variety of other reasons, The Age of Adaline is a great movie that shows how short but meaningful the human life is.
The first reason why The Age of Adaline is a great movie is because as it moves throughout her time as a 29 year old she loses her sense of identity, which is often relatable when going through a tough time or just life in general. When she was immortal, to avoid getting caught and tested because her case was a strange one, she continuously changed her name, her job, and her appearance at times so she would feel safe and so that she wouldn’t feel as paranoid. We as humans often want to escape or wish to be different people and we lose ourselves, so while watching it I felt this connection to the story even though it is fictional.
The second reason that The Age of Adaline is so good is because the movie takes a unique approach to Adaline’s story of immortality. Other movies featuring characters who are immortal can feel cliche. For example, Tuck Everlasting, which has a weak plot that creates immortality with some kind of magical being . When Adaline had to shift into her new life as an immortal being it was so sudden and she made mistakes that risked not only her safety but her daughters as well, which reflects how quickly life can take a turn for better or for worse but people and we don’t always know what to do with that. We all stumble through life trying to make it work until things fall into place like they did for Adaline.
Third, The Age of Adaline is an excellent movie because of its themes surrounding love. When she began to age again, the quality of her life improved as she fell in love and got to grow old with him added so much meaning. Everyone loves love, and the heartwarming scene when Adaline finally lets herself be loved after being closed off for nearly 8 decades and begins to age with him leaves a great impact that makes it so good compared to other films that touch the subject of immortality because although it may not be a lavish life with super cool powers or awesome mansion-type hideouts it is its own gem that holds a special place in my heart.
Despite the aforementioned points defending the film, there are some haters of the film out there. Some people say it’s boring and too long. One person on Rotten Tomato even said, “One minute I'm baffled and the next minute I'm quite literally falling asleep.” To this person, I say that the deep meaning of the movie is right there and it takes little effort to understand and every single second of the movie holds great importance.
A student at Airport High School, Jimmy D. (pseudonym), said, “I think it is a good portrayal of lost love”. Another student, Steve R. (pseudonym), said that “the acting in the film was amazing and it really moved me when she saw her daughter getting old.”
The movie has tons of great points as it shows her living an abnormally long life and the struggles she has throughout her time. The Age of Adaline has a timelessness to it much like Adaline herself so I encourage everyone to watch it and hopefully find comfort in it like I do.