Fanboys Anonymous

Adaline Bowman will be forever 29 years old. After a terrible accident that renders her immortal, Bowman goes on the run to keep herself a secret. She changes her identity every 10 years while being careful not to get too close to the people around her. If she does, she could end up as the test subject. The Age of Adaline is an exquisite love story with just the right amount of mystery and supernatural. The original screenplay, directed by Lee Toland Krieger, brings back nostalgic memories of romances that once were. Let's face it: every romantic storyline in the world has been done twice over, but rarely do you see such a strong female lead with such a powerful place in movie history.


Bowman, played by the talented Blake Lively, was born at the turn of the century. She's a mother and a friend who's been through wars and industrialization, and she sees clearly that which others take for granted. This makes her such a unique character that I couldn't help being awestruck by her. Then she meets Ellis Jones, played by Michiel Huisman. He's enchanted by her sophistication and smarts, and he could very well be the man that makes her tell her secret.

The all-star cast, which includes veterans Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn, brings the acting to another level entirely. It's so refreshing to see Ford in a dramatic role like this. He's reached the age where action movies just aren't suitable, but one thing he'll never lose is his sex appeal. Ford plays a past lover of Bowman who also happens to be Ellis' father.

When I was first invited to the screening, I was a little skeptical. People were comparing this movie to a Nicolas Sparks book, and these days I'm just not into tearjerkers. To be honest, I'm not really into romances either, but the whole supernatural touch had me curious as to how they would approach it. Certainly this couldn't as silly as Twilight or all these silly immortal tween movies. How did one fall in love if they couldn't grow old together? This isn't a Sparks knockoff, and this isn't just another love story. This movie is about relationships—how to stay true and strong when everything in the world moves so fast.

The Age of Adaline didn't have a single cheesy romantic moment, and it was entirely faultless in the explanation of life. Bowman's words of wisdom will be one of those phrases I'll repeat in casual conversation, making this movie just as timeless as Bowman herself.

The Age of Adaline releases in theaters on April 24th. What do you think of the storyline? Overdone or unique? Do you believe there are enough movies with strong female leads? Let us know in a comment below.