Adore

🎥 Synopsis

In a picturesque Australian coastal town, lifelong best friends Roz (Robin Wright) and Lil (Naomi Watts) have together brought up their children, Tom and Ian. Now in their forties, the women share an everlasting bond forged in childhood and fortified by years of shared joy and grief. Their sons are just as inseparable and have now transformed into strapping young men, brimming with the vitality that their mothers possessed in their younger years.

With the waves crashing and the sun shining, an unexpected spark arises: Ian seduces Roz and in an act of desire -and maybe revenge- Tom seeks comfort in Lil’s arms. A simple slip turns into something far more complicated, a mix of fervor, intrigue, and emotional chaos. The quartet traverses this new bond and maze of love, loyalty, and society’s boundaries.

Doris Lessing’s novella The Grandmothers serves as inspiration for Adore which aims to delve deeper into the depths of human desire, morality, and relationships.

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🌟 Lead Performances

Robin Wright as Roz – Wright gives a blended performance of a woman dealing with the pressure of society while trying to find a personal definition of fulfillment. Her acting shows Roz’s struggle beautifully.

Casting Notes

Naomi Watts as Lil – Watts captures the essence of Lil’s inner conflict portraying a mother dealing with the pain, yearning, and overwhelming aspects of an illicit romance.

Xavier Samuel as Ian – Samuel depicts the character of Ian with youthful fervor, revealing the recklessness and inner conflict that he experiences.

James Frecheville as Tom – Frecheville’s brooding sensitivity helps bring life to Tom, portraying the character’s inner tension between zeal and morality.

🖋️ Themes and Tone

Adores is a meditation around:

Pure Desire – Dissecting the temptation and repercussions of relationships considered forbidden.

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Friendship and Betrayal – Unraveling the complexities of unconditional relationships when put to the test by unconventional romance.

Aging and Identity – Exploring the realities of growing older, self-reflection, and the search for joy in life unshackled from societal expectations.

Maternal Instincts vs. Self-Actualization – Contrasting the identities of a mother and a lover and the resultant conflict.

The film has a contemplative pacing which encourages audiences to deeply engage with the emotional complexities of the characters.

🎞️ Style and Cinematography

Adore is a spellbinding film under Anne Fontaine’s direction where luminance is brought to the Australian coastline by cinematographer Christophe Beaucarne. The film’s beauty rests not only in its visually striking settings but also the tempestuous realities of the characters. The story’s natural framing and light makes the emotions hit harder.

🔥 Reception

The performances by Watts and Wright garnered praise but the film’s plausibility over the plot received skepticism, leading the reviews of Adore to fall in the “mixed” category. Rotten Tomatoes houses the film’s approval rating at 33% which adds, “While Naomi Watts and Robin Wright pour everything into their roles, Adore’s trashy, absurd plot isn’t believable.”

⭐ Adore in the spotlight

Praise for:

Captivating portrayals delivered by the leading actresses.

Delving into deep unforeseen emotional issues.

Criticism for:

A storyline that is assumed to be exaggerated alongside a lack of flow in progression.

An oversimplified outlook on the character’s development.

📝 Concluding Remarks

Adore provides an audacious and intricate examination of the norms surrounding love, sensuality, and romance. It compels the audience to reflect on the paradoxes of human connections, including the extremes one might go to seek fulfillment. The film is striking and unforgettable because of its stunning imagery and compelling acting.