Adore
a.k.a Perfect Mothers
| More info on IMDB | 2013|
The story tells the journey of two lifelong friends caught in a forbidden and unusual sexual relationships with each other's sons. As the story progresses, the lines get blurry.
The question now is... is it truly love? How long will their passions last? Most importantly, will they choose friendship and family over their complex relationships?
You might be surprised to see a non-Asian film on my blog, but let me just talk about Adore for a bit. I just need to get this out of my chest. I can definitely say that Adore will forever be one of my favorites. More than the controversial scenes, it is a movie about love and betrayal.
So, as you have read from the premise above, two mothers (Roz and Lil) get tangled up in a romantic relationship with each other's sons (Ian and Tom.) Here's the breakdown: Robin Wright falls in love with Xavier Samuel while Naomi Watts gets James Frecheville.
I know, it's seems very complicated, but I think the movie is more psychological. Yes, there would be a lot of graphic sex scenes, but Adore is so much more than that. It is thought provoking and emotional. It makes you think about your choices. You know, how an seemingly insignificant choice would have larger repercussions in the future.
The main thing that will bug you is their complicated relationship. They all practically are like family because they grew up together in close-knit neighborhood. Plus, the obvious age difference is there. Let me start off by saying that I love Lil and Roz's best friend relationship. They are very close that people often mistake them for being a lesbian couple.
Now, the plot gets complicated when Ian (Lil's son) kisses Roz while Tom is drunk and grumpy about the world. Then, you would start to ask why and how did Ian fall in love with Roz. She is like his second mom. How could you have feelings for someone that's like family? How can you classify love as "wrong" to begin with?
(Ian is my fave among the four main characters)
Nonetheless, let's continue on and discuss how the two relationships progress differently. In fact, the two are polar opposites. Ian and Roz seems to have a stable relationship while I can't say the same for Tom and Lil. I truly believe that Ian sincerely cared for Roz.
That's what I love about Ian because he knows what he wants at a very young age. He feels deeply into everything he does. You could really see how committed he is. If he got things his way, he wished he could have continued his relationship with Roz. They were okay and happy, but Roz felt like they need to abruptly end it because she chooses her friendship with Lil more than anything.
(Why break them up? Ian deserves to be happy too!)
To be honest, I never really liked Tom because he is the total opposite of Ian. He does not know what he wants and I really think that he only started f*cking Lil out of revenge. He can't just accept the fact that his childhood best friend loves his mom. Plus, it's probably just his raging hormones. Tom obviously doesn't know what to do with his life so he probably told himself to copy Ian and have sex with Lil.
Adore is a complicated movie because it will make you think about it for a long time. It will be embedded in your brain and it will make you think. You will find yourself figuring it out, and it will linger in your thoughts whether you like it or not. Personally, it's so heartbreaking to see Ian suffer because of something he didn't agree on. Tom and Lil are selfish for not letting Ian just be happy with his life.
Lastly, I love how the movie ended. It's subtle and calm like the seaside backdrop. So, if you are in the mood for something unusual and thought provoking, give Adore a chance. It is a beautifully filmed movie that features unlikely relationships and natural chemistry between characters. Ultimately, Adore is a controversial movie about how twisted relationships get. Just like life, relationships will surely become messy.
(or simply watch it for Xavier Samuel ❤️)