THE ADAM PROJECT Hits Netflix

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Netflix from director Shawn Levy is the tale of facing who you are and who you will be with THE ADAM PROJECT.

Adam Reed (Walker Scobell) is a young boy living with Mother Ellie (Jennifer Garner) as they both deal with the death of Dad and husband Louis Reed (Mark Ruffalo). Adam has a problem that not only does he deal with the sadness of mom and asthma, but he suffers from a mouthy problem which gets him in trouble.

After being sent home from a fight at school, Adam realizes his mother is going on a date and cannot help but make a few snide comments. Left at home doing what boys do when they are left alone, four-legged friend Rocket runs off and Adam follows. Into the woods behind the house, he discovers what looks like something blew up!

Following Rocket again, Adam goes into what was his father’s workshop and there is a stranger! Clearly wounded but Adam goes into protective mode but when the two start talking – they both realize they are looking into the faces of each other. Twelve-year-old Adam is staring up at his grown-up self but it is their sarcasm that is a match.

Grown up Adam broke through his time into young Adam’s and there are problems. A woman named Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) wants something from pilot Adam and sends a killer named Christos (Alex Allari Jr.) to chase him across the galaxy. Pilot Adam is also stunned when he is saved by his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana) and young Adam is impressed.

The only way to stop all of this is for both Adams to go through another portal in space to go back and see their dad Louis who is stunned to see them both. There is no time to chat as they must get to Sorian building and retrieve Louis’ research and keep it out of Maya’s hands!

Two wise-cracking Adams and a dad in the middle on an adventure and reconnection of love is everything.

Reynolds as the pilot Adam gives his usual straight forward wise cracking performance and has a bit of fun with the science fiction aspect of the story. He continues to find roles that allow him to be hilarious and there certainly is not anything wrong with that. I prefer his humor with a biting edge and perfect delivery. Playing opposite young Scobell as the twelve-year-old Adam is nothing short of perfection bouncing off one another with timing that is stunning. Scobell gives as good as he gets while getting a chance to see a bit of his future and a look at what he has been ignoring in his present. Both well done.

Garner as Mom Ellie is dealing with what all young widows with a child deal with – the pain of trying to handle a household, working and making sure the bills are paid. Trying to stay attached to her young son, she sees the problems he has dealing with the death of his dad and not sure how to handle it. Garner takes this sweet role and gives her character the same understanding she does when playing a Mom.

Ruffalo as Dad Louis gets a second chance to see his sons’ (odd to say, isn’t it?) and say some things he wanted to, go on an adventure of a lifetime, and watching both his boys do what they do best because both are dang smart. Ruffalo is funny, sweet and ready to take on whatever he needs to.

Saldana as wife Laura gets the chance to keep her time travelling space boots on and protect her husband as much as she can through time. Keener as Maya is a woman who seems to enjoy chasing pilot Adam through the galaxy. He is like a thorn stuck and it is irritating her to no end. Yes, she wants what he took but Keener gives Maya the look of a woman who just wants to squash Adam like a bug for her own reasons.

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THE ADAM PROJECT is a fun family film that will make kids laugh as well as adults. Having Reynolds and Scobell play the same person at different ages means there are jokes everyone can understand. The wise cracking duo are evenly matched in delivery and Scobell must have taken ‘Reynolds’ lessons to be able to upstage his co-star once or twice.

I see parallels to other “time-travel-meeting-younger-self” films and the bonus here is the fast action and sharp humor that I always enjoyed. Watching it with my granddaughter, she was laughing so much and yelling at the bad guys at the same time. That’s what watching film should be like, generational fun and being comfy at home with our favorite white cheddar popcorn and pj’s.

In the end – the past meets the future!

It is a Life of Discover with LOVE, SIMON

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K UHD, Bluray/DVD and Digital from director Greg Berlanti and Fox Home Entertainment is the journey he takes to LOVE, SIMON.

Simon (Nick Robinson) is a young man counting down the days until graduation and off to college. Supported by his Dad Jack (Josh Duhamel), Mom Emily (Jennifer Garner) and sister-chef Nora (Talitha Bateman), he actually likes his life.

Adding to that are his lifelong friends Leah (Katherine Langford), Nick (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) and newer lifelong friend Abby (Alexandra Shipp), things are all good. Except one little-big thing – Simon hasn’t shared with anyone that he is gay except for one person, an online friend he calls Blue.

Blue has become an important part of Simon’s life because they seem to have the ability to share anything about themselves with no judgment or fear. Martin (Logan Miller) makes a move to upset the balance of Simon’s life. Discovering emails between he and Blue, Martin screenshots them to his phone and makes a deal with Simon.

Martin likes Abby and wants Simon to do the footwork to get them together in exchange for his silence. Immediately panicked for his friend Blue, Simon agrees. Putting the pieces into play makes him miserable knowing these are his friends’ lives.

Then moment of teenage outburst from Martin brings the house of fragile cards falling down. Simon is left to either hide from it all or just clear the path of least resistance to the life they are all meant to have – one that includes being who you really are.

He’s done keeping his story straight!

Robinson as Simon is as charming and sweet as he wants to be. Feeling the best he can under his secretive circumstances, this young actor gives a performance that is heartfelt, believable and endearing. That’s important when telling this story as the pitfalls in the life of a teenager are already demanding in this sometimes technological terror of a world we have created. Robinson’s performance unravels that with depth and I for one appreciate that.

Langford as Leah is also dealing with the perils of the heart and high school. She has known Simon practically forever (as they say) and wants only what is best for him, even if he screws up now and then. Shipp as Abby is the outgoing new girl of their group and the first to know Simon’s secret.

Miller as Martin is the guy who doesn’t really understand how friendships work but clearly knows how blackmail does! This character is the one who wants to just be part of something special but goes about it the wrong way. Lendeborg Jr. as Nick is dealing with trying to hook up a love life of his own and gets in the cross hairs of Simon’s inability to get away from Martin’s scheme.

Garner as Emily is the fun Mom who sees her son has something going on. Trying to do the ‘give him space’ thing, it all finally makes sense to her which doesn’t stop her from being just as supportive. Duhamel as Jack is the Dad who struggles with ‘not seeing it’ and failing as a father for it and embraces his son as he always has.

Shout out to Rothwell as Ms. Albright as the high school drama teacher! I swear I had the same drama teacher in Junior High so thank you for reminding me that Ms. Spencer was the best and the side comments are hilariously familiar.

Other cast includes: Tony Hale as Mr. Worth, Natasha Rothwell as Ms. Albright, Miles Heizer as Cal, Joey Pollari as Lyle, Drew Starkey as Garrett and Clark Moore as Ethan.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The Bluray and DVD Special Features include Deleted Scenes, The Adaptation, The Squad, #FirstLoveStoryContestWinner, Dear Georgia, Dear Atlanta, Audio Commentary by Director Greg Berlanti, Producer Isaac Klausner and Co-Screenwriter Isaac Aptaker and Gallery.

LOVE, SIMON is a story definitely from the heart and if you don’t feel every second of it then you need a chisel to get it out of its stone casing! This is a film about teenagers doing what teenagers do – struggle to know who they are and how to fit in. What makes this story relatable is that we have all been there in some form if you take a second to remember.

Of course it is harder to have secrets in high school with social media poking into every aspect of someone’s life. There isn’t a platform where one wrong word won’t make it around the planet faster than finding out it’s been posted. It is also a technological world where bullying has found another platform. Simon takes the higher ground in a way that is breath taking.

This film should be shown in junior and senior high schools as a teaching tool! Yes this is a story of a young man’s journey finding acceptance for his secret, but it’s also clearly a story of realizing that each of these kids has something they are afraid for anyone to know.

LOVE, SIMON is brilliantly written, the cast is stellar and the ending is how it should be – honest, upfront and a trip to Starbucks for a day on the road.

In the end – everyone deserves a great love story!