The Mosley Review: The Adam Project
Long have I yearned for a good time travel film. Not just any old time traveling film that means the end of all civilization or a love story about writing letters. I haven't seen a decent time traveling adventure film that follows its own rules and has fun doing it in a long time. Finally a film like this comes along and I was sucked in the moment it started. I loved how the story was so personal and kept the light and warm tone throughout the film. Many films would get tied up in the action and thankfully this film is so focused on character. It was a risky move to make the action sort of secondary to the plot and it paid off in so many glorious ways. This film harkens back to the type of films I grew up with that weren't afraid to tackle adult themes, a complicated family dynamic and loss. So many films shy away from that and it ends up making those films more hollow. The multiple character arcs that are on display here are all so wonderfully portrayed with such earnesty and depth and that comes from an amazing cast that really understood the assignment.
Walker Scobell was outstanding as young Adam Reed. He was a perfect smart ass that you tend to not like at times, but you can't keep your eyes off of him. He delivers a performance that wasn't overcooked and felt authentic in the way he is processing grief. Jennifer Garner was heartbreaking as his mother Ellie. The amount of grief she conveys while trying stay strong for Adam was particularly astonishing in one scene. Their chemistry was amazing and I felt the love between them. Ryan Reynolds can go either way as an actor. He could be his standard sarcastic self or he can really turn on his dramatic charm that'll touch your heart. As the future Adam, he shows once again he can deliver a knockout performance in a more dramatic way. Yes his comedic timing is there, but it is more subdued and balanced. He shines the brightest with his younger self and I can't tell you how perfect the casting was for the both of them. Much like the cast of the recent version of IT, Walker and Ryan were a cosmic pair. They play off of each other so well and the comedy between them is spot on. Zoe Saldana was excellent and heart wrenching as Adam's future wife, Laura. She does what she does best in delivering a solid balance of badass female heroism and her wonderful charm as a love interest that is not just eye candy. You feel the time crossed love between her and Adam in a beautiful and tragic scene. Mark Ruffalo was excellent and fun as Adam's father, Louis. He breaks your heart in the best ways and puts it back together in the most gentle, loving and tear jerking manner. Adult Adam and Louis are the strongest as they play off of each other’s comedic and dramatic chops. I truly think Mark was born to play a scientist for the rest of his life because I believe everything he says. Catherine Keener was perfectly heartless as business mogul Maya Sorian. I say heartless because she only cares about protecting her future, but there is a heart there even if its hardened.
The score by Rob Simonesn was fantastic and brought me to tears in a powerful scene in the last bit of the film. It was truly beautiful in the bar scene between adult Adam and his mother and a special scene between Louis and his sons. The soundtrack was fun as well and I think they incorporated the correct songs about time in the right moments. The action and visual effects were excellent and I loved how it informed the story and the rules. There is a scene that uses de-aging technology and it was a bit jarring. We've come so far and I think this was the next step in trying to do it with a character that has more lighting and alot of movement while tracking their face. It didn't always work, but it was a valiant effort. Director Shawn Levy has delivered time and time again great films that are for both kids and adults. This was no different and I absolutely loved every captivating, heartbreaking, mature and love infused moment. The Netflix Original is now streaming and I cannot recommend this wonderful film enough. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
