Adoration
2013 · Directed by Anne Fontaine
Original language: English
- drama
The story
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.
What it’s like
Sun-bleached coastal light and long, unhurried takes of two women on a sandstone shoreline, with the sea a constant pale-blue presence behind them. Anne Fontaine frames her Australian beach town with a mix of bright daylight and softer golden-hour shadows, and the camera lingers on bodies in still water, sunburnt skin, and quiet kitchens where the afternoons seem to stretch. The score is sparse and melodic, with long stretches of wave sound and birdsong carrying the silences. The vibe is languid, intimate and quietly charged, a slow-burning summer drama that feels both sensual and a little melancholy. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a long evening with a glass of wine, or a reflective solo watch. Pacing is deliberate and character-driven, building through glances and small gestures toward emotional reckonings. Intensity is low on violence but there is frank sexual content and nudity, handled with a matter-of-fact tenderness rather than titillation. Made for viewers who enjoy intimate character studies about friendship, desire, and the moral gray areas of long-held bonds.
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