For any avid movies goers, who are wondering whether The Age of Adaline is all it’s made out to be from the trailer: read on!

The Age of Adaline is about a 28-year-old named Adaline Bowman who stops aging after getting in a car wreck involving a highly unlikely solar explanation, lightning and freezing water temperatures. At first, she has her fair share of fun living her life without aging a day. As the movie continues, Adaline undergoes a transformation as she realizes the challenges that accompany her condition. Flemming, her daughter, begins looking older than her and she struggles to maintain relationships with anyone as it becomes increasingly difficult to have a true identity without age. People become suspicious of her and after a close encounter with the FBI, she moves locations around the San Francisco area and illegally changes her name using fake ID’s every 10 years. The movie really picks up speed once she meets Ellis Jones, a charming philanthropist. Although she is hesitant at first, she eventually begins to question the ways in which she is living and whether it is time to break free of her on-the-run lifestyle.

This role was definitely a break-through for Lively as it was the most professional and highly-regarded movie she’s done, and a definite step up from the popular TV series Gossip Girl, which ended in December of 2012. Lively plays a witty woman who knows everything it seems including several languages, although that might be predictable given that she’s lived through over a hundred years worth of events and has had all that time to be able to attain any skill. What is lacking is a personal connection or feeling of empathy with Adaline. The character feels distant without a well-outlined personality despite her lifetime of experiences. I credit this lack of relation to the fact that Adaline has been living like a recluse for many years. She is paranoid and accustomed to the results of careless actions or revealing too much private information. The audience can feel this sort of cold air about Adaline that actually seems fitting to the story line.

Although Flemming looks much older than Adaline, she still keeps a maternal character towards her daughter that gives a new layer of interest to the story, especially when Flemming reaches her grandma years while Adaline is stuck at 28.

The father of Adaline’s love interest, William Jones is played by Harrison Ford, who is the most convincing actor in the movie. After seeing Adaline at his 40-year anniversary that Ellis took her to, he plays a disgruntled character in utter disbelief because he knew Adaline many years ago. His acting is extremely believable and is right on target for a meeting of this sort. By this time, Adaline has changed her name and claims to be the daughter of Adaline clarifying the uncanny resemblance. Despite this explanation, William still believes something about the situation is inherently wrong. Ford flawlessly enacts a mental deliberation someone in this situation might have as he decides whether to follow his instinct that something is inherently wrong or blame it on his many years of age.

Without a doubt The Age of Adaline’s most appealing quality is its original story line and the unusual love story that unfolds. Despite the few flaws it may contain, it’s still perfect for that someone special you’ve been waiting to take on a date.