An injured time traveling fighter pilot overshoots his destination and meets up with his 12-year old self and his father to save the future by reconciling with past events. Ryan Reynolds gives us a multilayered performance as pilot Adam Reed. Viewers will be drawn to his easy yet conflicted portrayal of the main protagonist. Reynolds’ first encounter with his younger self is comical, insightful and sets the tone for the rest of the film. Young Reed is played by Walker Scobell who is quite the revelation. (He spews out one witty line after another.) Thirteen going on 30 duo Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner are reunited here and the chemistry is palpable as the two effectively play Dad and Mom to Reynolds’ character. Zoe Saldaña plays scientist and wife to Reynolds.
Perfect for a date night, this Netflix movie has something for every kind of viewer. Juvenile issues such as bullying, strained parent-child relationships, the effects of a death in the family are discussed as much as adult themes. One thing that struck me most was a line by Ruffalo’s character where he quotes the Romans– “Enjoy life. It’s later than you think.” And another by Garner, “I collect odd ducks” as she refers to the not so obvious similarities between her husband and son. One can’t help but notice, too, that this film has gathered Deadpool, Gamora, The Hulk, and Elektra (The non archtypal superheroes the four actors have played in the past).
At first, I was not exactly sure where the story was headed. The build up could be a little faster. As soon as the mission(s) were clearly established, however, I found myself more engaged. The audience will enjoy the quick quips, playful banter of Reynold with his younger self, and the humanity that each of the characters possess. Even the main villain (Catherine Keener as Maya Sorian) was good at one point. There’s the CGI thrown in here and there, of course. Essentially, however, this is a story about relationships and realizations. Love is not defined by time. Almost everything gets better with time. Sadly, though, we don’t have much time as we think we do. So we have to do the right thing, come to terms with the lessons of the past and hope to “find” good things in the future. Most of all, we should try to “enjoy life because it’s later than we think.”
Here’s hoping you enjoy The Adam Project as much as my whole family did!
With a pocketful of glitter,
