Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Lil and Roz are two lifelong friends, having grown up together as neighbors in an idyllic beach town. As adults, their sons have developed a friendship as strong as that which binds their mothers. One summer, all four are confronted by simmering emotions that have been mounting between them, and each find unexpected happiness in relationships that cross the bounds of convention.
Adoration (2013), the Australian drama directed by Anne Fontaine, explores taboo intergenerational desire with some sincerity but ultimately struggles to fully justify its provocative premise. The plot is quietly observed but feels emotionally underdeveloped, leaving key motivations murky. The acting from Naomi Watts and Robin Wright is committed and elevates the material considerably, though the male characters feel thinly sketched. The cinematography captures the coastal Australian setting with warmth and intimacy, lending the film a sun-drenched, languid atmosphere that suits the tone. Novelty is limited — the forbidden desire and female friendship themes have been explored with more daring elsewhere, and the film feels restrained to the point of being somewhat generic in its execution. The ending is unsatisfying and abrupt, failing to deliver emotional resolution or thematic payoff commensurate with the story's ambitions.