You are uncomfortable with age-gap dynamics, large power imbalances, or films that prioritize mood over plot logic.
The central issue with Adore is that it never quite decides what it wants to say. Does it want to be a serious drama about grief, loneliness, and the blurred lines between maternal and romantic love? Or is it a glossy, soft-core fantasy about older women and younger men? The film straddles both lanes uncomfortably. adore full movie
The film’s saving grace is its powerhouse leads. Naomi Watts (as Lil) and Robin Wright (as Roz) are completely committed. Their chemistry as lifelong friends feels authentic—you believe they have shared secrets, grief, and laughter for decades. Wright brings a grounded, steely vulnerability to Roz, a widow clinging to youth and affection. Watts, meanwhile, plays Lil with a softer, more ethereal recklessness. Their internal conflict is written on their faces, even when the script fails them. You are uncomfortable with age-gap dynamics, large power
Y Tu Mamá También (for the sexual tension), The Reader (for taboo romance), or glossy dramas about beautiful people making terrible decisions. Or is it a glossy, soft-core fantasy about
Rating: ⭐⭐½ (2.5/5)
The young male leads (Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville as the sons, plus Nicholas Hope as a family friend) are adequate, though they are often reduced to objects of desire rather than fully realized characters. The film is less about the boys’ coming-of-age and more about the women’s unravelling.
Adore is less about love and more about selfishness. It asks whether a lifelong friendship can survive when both parties decide to burn the rulebook of motherhood together. The answer the film gives is haunting, but getting there requires a hefty suspension of disbelief.