Adore 
Starring: Robin Wright, Naomi Watts, Xavier Samuel, James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn
Directed by: Anne Fontaine
Rated: R
Run Time: 100 mins
Genre: Drama
Opens August 6th
By Lisa Minzey of The Reel Critic.com
Hey Phoenix Film Fans! Opening this week in limited release at Harkins Shea 14 and video on demand is the drama “Adore” starring Robin Wright, Naomi Watts and Xavier Samuel. Based on the novella by Nobel Prize winner for Literature Doris Lessing, Academy Award Winner Screenwriter Christopher Hampton (DANGEROUS LIAISONS) tackles some rather taboo issues in this edgy film.
Roz (Robin Wright) and Lil (Naomi Watts) have been best friends since they were young girls. Never far from each other this pattern followed them into adulthood, ending up as neighbors right down the path from each other. Each girl married and had a son around the same age, but Lil’s life strayed from their perfect path when her husband passed away when her son Ian was still a young boy. Roz and her husband Harold (Ben Mendelsohn) took Lil and Ian under their wing letting their son Tom become best friends with Ian.
As the boys grew into young men, Lil and Roz would marvel how their boys are more like young gods and how people regularly mistaken the women's’ closeness as of a romantic nature. Only if they knew the truth. Ian (Samuel Xavier) as an adult has developed romantic feelings for someone close to him. When Harold is offered a job in Sydney, Roz and Tom (James Frecheville) stay behind, not wanting to be far from their home, Lil and Ian or what they are comfortable with. Roz also has another reason to stay as she has taken up a side affair with Ian, Lil’s son. Ian claims he’s in love with Roz. As their secret affair is just getting started, Tom discovers Roz leaving Ian in the walk of shame from the guest room, so as retaliation he makes a play for Lil. What’s even more surprising that the pairing of mothers swapping sons makes for an emotional and physical fulfillment that any one of them have never known and can’t get enough of.
As much of Greek tragedy as can be imagined, these unconventional relationships albeit each is happy with their pairing, puts other relationships in jeopardy as it may not be looked on with approval by others. Will it be too much for the two women or their sons or are these relationships quite functional as is?
As much of a Social Ick factor that can be fathomed, this story is actually quite intricate and fascinating because it lacks a certain predictability that one may expect with this film. This film definitely pushes into some significant social taboos/ Oedipus Complex issues, but the performances are powerful and brilliant that even the social and emotional complexities are explored intelligently and compassionately. If anything this is a great film to be water cooler discussion. Check out “adore” when it opens starting Friday August 6, 2013.
