Review of Adoration (2009) by Matt S — 16 Oct 2009

Easily Egoyan's finest film since "The Sweet Hereafter" more than a decade ago. This is an oddly provocative story about family secrets, cultural stereotypes, the transformative power of love and loss, and a commentary on life in the internet age all wrapped up into one time-shifting tale.

In his review, Ebert says "...this is not a message film. It is about people trying to find their way through emotional labyrinths." Our main character, Simon, is a high schooler who carries a huge weight on his shoulders: both his parents were killed when he was young.

While trying to sort out his own inner turmoil, he uses a story assignment in one of his classes to re-imagine the death of his parents in a car accident into one wherein his father was a terrorist who attempted to blow up his mother and 400 other passengers on a flight to Israel. By presenting this story as truth rather than fiction, Simon sets off a wave of discussions and fights in those around him and people he has met in internet chat rooms.