Review of Adoration (2013) by Stacy D — 06 Sep 2013

Anne Fontaine's "Adore" is based on Doris Lessing's novella "The Grandmothers", about two best friends having secret affairs with their other sons and the arising complications with the huge age difference, and their plans to shift it to getting grandmothers instead of being lovers.

The heros are all acting as smart and responsible humans unlike in typical US dramss in which the conflicts are based upon personality problems. Anne Fontaine is a very precise character director, but a very untalented dramaturge.

This novella doesn't need much dramaturgy fortunately, but since it's an epic unfolding over several years of the relationships it feels a bit uneven. As every family epic of this kind. If you buy the unusual premises the film is an entertaining experiment, if not it falls apart.

I suspect conservative markets like US doesn't buy the story. I enjoyed it.