Adore (C- or 2/4 stars)
Set in an Australian beachtown, 'Adore' (written/directed by Anne Fontaine) tells the story of widow Lil (Naomi Watts), her best friend Roz (Robin Wright), & their surfer-god sons (Xavier Samuel, James Frecheville). Now in their 40s, Lil & Roz have been inseparable since their youth. They adore the beautiful Australian coast where they have lived the best days of their lives on the beach & in the turquoise ocean. There is something about this warm, picturesque setting that draws out each other's sexual desires. Although there is some buried degree of physical attraction btwn. these 2 longtime friends they have never acted upon it. Drama enters when Lil's romantic, but intense son Ian (Samuel, of Twilight: Eclipse) falls in love with Roz & has sex with her while her husband (Ben Mendelsohn) is away on business.
Reckless love abounds after Roz's son Tom (Frecheville, of Animal Kingdom) discovers what's going on btwn. his best friend & his own mother. What happens?? Well, he starts his own tryst with Lil {bonkers, right??}. But Tom eventually loses interest in Lil when he goes to the city to start a theater directing career; and eventually meets & marries a talented singer/actress. Lil finds out about her son & Roz. Roz finds out about her son & Lil. You'd think ther'd be some huge combustive reveal & follow through, but, there oddly isn't. Their reactions are muted. They even accept each other's situation. And, well, I found that confounding.
Although this film tries hard to breach new territory in the exploration of the love, friendship, morality, & female sexual desire ... there are parts of the script (by acclaimed Christopher Hampton) which made me roll my eyes, like when Lil says, "We've crossed a line". Haha, gee, you THINK!!! I am pretty disappointed by this movie. You've got Naomi Watts & Robin Wright giving lovely, nuanced (almost too much so) performances, but the movie around them is pretty awful. Even in the first 5-10 minutes or so, I noticed some too-languid shots & some numbingly atrocious dialogue and I thought ... 'ohhhh no'. Bad film ahead.
Still, a bad film could have been remedied by some fun salaciousness and/or campy melodrama. Unfortunately, the film misses the boat there, as well. Basically, it's a bore. That said, bore or not, there IS something inherently interesting about these forbidden love affairs in which 2 friends sleep with each others sons. Because Lil & Roz have shared an emotional closeness for 30-some years, the notion that they're sleeping with each other's sons doesn't seem as damning to them as it should. Roz loves her husband, but isn't 'into' him sexually, right now. She'd rather get hot & heavy with hunky Ian; who seems rather obsessed with her, as well.
Being "desired" is a turn-on for both these women. Like any obsession, it is hard for them to break off the affair(s). Matters do not end well for all parties involved. But what I find most interesting about the film is that these 2 women are frightened of losing each other (and their sons) ... due to the passage of time. Their sons will likely go to college, move on, marry, have a life. Roz is married. Lil is not. They love each other as friends. But can they remain together as either a deranged foursome or a couple or otherwise? The outlook isn't great. And so, 'Adore' (which changed titles from The Grandmothers to Two Mothers to Adore ... troubling sign early, wasn't it?) is not a complete bust (okay acting, gorgeous photography). But the set-up promised much more intrigue than the movie ultimately delivers.
Reckless love abounds after Roz's son Tom (Frecheville, of Animal Kingdom) discovers what's going on btwn. his best friend & his own mother. What happens?? Well, he starts his own tryst with Lil {bonkers, right??}. But Tom eventually loses interest in Lil when he goes to the city to start a theater directing career; and eventually meets & marries a talented singer/actress. Lil finds out about her son & Roz. Roz finds out about her son & Lil. You'd think ther'd be some huge combustive reveal & follow through, but, there oddly isn't. Their reactions are muted. They even accept each other's situation. And, well, I found that confounding.
Although this film tries hard to breach new territory in the exploration of the love, friendship, morality, & female sexual desire ... there are parts of the script (by acclaimed Christopher Hampton) which made me roll my eyes, like when Lil says, "We've crossed a line". Haha, gee, you THINK!!! I am pretty disappointed by this movie. You've got Naomi Watts & Robin Wright giving lovely, nuanced (almost too much so) performances, but the movie around them is pretty awful. Even in the first 5-10 minutes or so, I noticed some too-languid shots & some numbingly atrocious dialogue and I thought ... 'ohhhh no'. Bad film ahead.
Still, a bad film could have been remedied by some fun salaciousness and/or campy melodrama. Unfortunately, the film misses the boat there, as well. Basically, it's a bore. That said, bore or not, there IS something inherently interesting about these forbidden love affairs in which 2 friends sleep with each others sons. Because Lil & Roz have shared an emotional closeness for 30-some years, the notion that they're sleeping with each other's sons doesn't seem as damning to them as it should. Roz loves her husband, but isn't 'into' him sexually, right now. She'd rather get hot & heavy with hunky Ian; who seems rather obsessed with her, as well.
Being "desired" is a turn-on for both these women. Like any obsession, it is hard for them to break off the affair(s). Matters do not end well for all parties involved. But what I find most interesting about the film is that these 2 women are frightened of losing each other (and their sons) ... due to the passage of time. Their sons will likely go to college, move on, marry, have a life. Roz is married. Lil is not. They love each other as friends. But can they remain together as either a deranged foursome or a couple or otherwise? The outlook isn't great. And so, 'Adore' (which changed titles from The Grandmothers to Two Mothers to Adore ... troubling sign early, wasn't it?) is not a complete bust (okay acting, gorgeous photography). But the set-up promised much more intrigue than the movie ultimately delivers.