Blake Lively, doing her Grace Kelly impression, stars as a 21-year-old woman in the late 1920s who magically stops aging; most of the story takes place in our present day, after she meets a charming young philanthropist who just might be her soulmate. However corny, this old-fashioned romantic fantasy earns points for sincerity and emotional intelligence. Rather than getting bogged down by screwy metaphysics, screenwriters J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz focus on the fragility of young love; the filmmaking (seemingly modeled on that of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) is quiet and patient, fitfully evoking the heroine’s apprehension at finding happiness. As the philanthropist’s father, Harrison Ford has rarely been so tender onscreen, and Ellen Burstyn, playing the Lively character’s 80-year-old daughter, delivers some touching moments as well. Lee Toland Krieger (Celeste and Jesse Forever) directed.
The Age of Adaline
PG-13 • 1 hour 53 min • 2015
