User reviews

In rural New South Wales, childhood friends and now mothers Roz (Robin Wright) and Lil (Naomi Watts) live a secluded existence. Their life seems idyllic: Roz runs an art-gallery, while Lil apparently does not work but manages quite well to pursue a good life as a widow. As the film develops, however, so both women fall for the other woman's sons: Roz falls in love with Lil's son Tom (James Frechville), and Lil falls in love with Roz's son Ian (Xavier Samuel). Both women try to end their respective affairs - in the belief that they are somehow wrong - but find themselves incapable of doing so, leading to heartache and loss. There are several reasons for watching TWO MOTHERS: the first being the stunning photography of a rural seaside landscape (by Christophe Beaucarne), full of sandy beaches and azure-blue seas. It's hardly surprising that none of the four protagonists really want to leave the place, even though Tom moves briefly to urban Sydney to pursue a career as a theater director. TWO MOTHERS also boasts four excellent performances: Watts and Wright are quite outstanding as the two mothers, their faces beginning to show the signs of middle age, yet retaining much of their youthful vigor. Director Anne Fontaine's camera scrutinizes their features as they ponder the morality of what they are doing, and desperately decide what to do for the best, while remaining true to their instincts. At the end of the film, when they consider what they have done, they do not say much, but the sequence comes across as incredibly poignant: Wright in the foreground, and Watts in the background trying to explain why she did what she did. The third main reason for watching the film is the sparse script - by Fontaine and Christopher Hampton after a work by Doris Lessing. The film makes no judgment on the characters' behavior'; rather it encourages us to reflect on how human emotions work, often in defiance of moral concerns. Perhaps the film is a touch too long - the ending tends to drag a little - but the final image of the four protagonists sitting sunbathing on a wooden raft, the camera placed directly above them, is a memorable one.

It is novelistic, and by that i don't mean it is dreadfully slow. The movie is quiet yes, but, it is also sufficiently visual to free up the tensions that characters face.

If you thought it was going to be erotic then you won't like it. It is much like eva green's 'womb' insofar that the movie is keen in keeping the audience attention within the spectrum of possibilities that are available to the characters.

so if you were to exclaim - oh, come on, this kinda thing never happens. well, you may have a point but that doesn't undermine the quality of the movie

A big taboo turned out a great film.. sorry to see the bad reviews, I bet it would be the opposite if that was a festival award winning french movie.

A fascinating, intellectual and profound exploration of the psyches of four uniquely damaged characters: two boys who never quite left the womb, growing up in a small and affluent community far removed from reality, with one father figure MIA, the other passive and disconnected, and only their mothers for comfort and company; and two women, who never conquered their fears of aging or their struggles with self-esteem and sexual confidence, and whose intimate love for each other and need to feel young and desired manifest themselves in dangerous liaisons with each other's sons.

The premise is disturbing and unrealistic but a major strength of the film is that the characters' actions feel believable and understandable: but never condoned or really condemned. We are given such insight into their island-like community, their lifestyles, their dynamics and their psyches that it's perfectly clear why they fall into these simultaneously symbiotic and parasitic relationships. There is a nuance and an apathy to the directing that encourage the audience to focus more on the "how" and "why" rather than the "what." The film is never sexy or erotic because there is so much loneliness, pain and desperation in the sex scenes. The ocean metaphors strengthen the storytelling but never overwhelm it, and there is one particularly profound scene when Watts and Wright's granddaughters are lifted out of the very water that pulled them under and destroyed them.

The film lags around the mid-point, once the quartet has fallen into a rhythm and so there is no more conflict or tension, but picks up again once their group dynamic and Watts' character's happiness are threatened. The ending is disconcerted and unexpected, but on reflection, given the film's themes and the characters' self- destructiveness, it couldn't have convincingly ended any other way.

Wright and Watts do career-best work here (people who think Watts is often overwrought will like her here, I think) - both give understated but incredibly complex performances and create living, breathing, three- dimensional people out of these initially unbelievable women. Their guilt, neediness and agony are ever-present in their eyes even as the characters try to remain composed and rational. The boys aren't given as much to do but Xavier Samuel perfectly captures the confidence and faux-invulnerability of adolescence. It's also the first time Watts has laughed on screen in what must be years now, which is nice to see!

Overall, in spite of some silly dialogue, it's riveting, labyrinthine, and unique - it's been a very long time since an English-language film explored female sexuality and psychology as intimately and impartially as this one does. It feels more at home with 90's French dramas like La belle noiseuse and La cérémonie than it does in 2013. I'm not entirely surprised it's received such a hateful and crude reaction online, but it has a lot more to offer than a controversial setting, and I hope audiences will be able to look past the premise and see it not as an "issue film" but as the perceptive and devastating character study that it really is.

'ADORE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

'ADORE' is one of those screwed up movies that shows us very flawed characters doing very questionable things but it still can be seen as a very well made and effective movie. It tells the tale of two mothers, who have been best friends since childhood, and each raised a son, who were best friends since childhood as well, and then began sexual relations with each other's newly adult son. The film stars Naomi Watts and Robin Wright as the two mothers ('TWO MOTHERS' was also the original title of the film) and Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville as their two sons. It also co-stars Ben Mendelsohn as the father of Frecheville's character (the two also played relatives in another Australian indie film from 2010 called 'ANIMAL KINGDOM'). Watts also executive produced the movie, which was adapted from the 2003 British novella 'The Grandmothers' by Doris Lessing. It was directed and co-written (with Christopher Hampton) by Anne Fontaine. Hampton has also written and co-written such steamy sexual relations tales as 'DANGEROUS LIAISONS', 'ATONEMENT' and 'THE QUIET American' and Fontaine also directed and co-wrote the 2003 French erotica drama 'NATHALIE'. The film is undoubtedly thought provoking and interesting but it might leave you wanting to take several showers.

Watts plays Lil and Wright plays Roz, two women (in their mid-forties) who grew up best friends next door to each other in the same beach town. They each have a son who has now reached adulthood; Ian (Samuel) and Tom (Frecheville). Ian and Tom grew up as neighbors in the same town as well (living with their mothers) and are now best friend surfing buddies. Lil was widowed when Ian was young but Roz still lives with her husband (and Tom's father), Harold (Mendelsohn). Harold gets a new job in Sydney, without telling Roz, and when he expects her and Tom to move with him the two stay behind (while Harold moves) to think about it. When Harold is away Roz and Ian begin a steamy affair. Tom finds out about it and gets revenge on Ian by sleeping with Lil. Things get more complicated as both mothers develop strong feelings for each other's sons (and vice versa). Passionate sex ensues until things become even more complicated.

The movie deals with subject matter that is of course taboo and some have argued that if the roles had been reversed (and it had been about two dads sleeping with each other's young adult daughters) the film would have been universally hated. This is a valid argument; there is a double standard when it comes to women having sex with younger men as opposed to men having sex with younger women. When guys do it they're seen as creepy perverts and when women do it they're seen as bold and just exploring their sexuality and youth again. Still what the characters do in this movie is not acceptable by anyone's standards (or shouldn't be); sleeping with a friend's kid (that you've know since they were a baby and basically helped raise) is wrong. Especially when you're still married like Robin Wright's character is in the movie. You can't judge a film by the actions of it's characters though. It's also not a film's job to answer moral questions; it's only it's duty to raise them and leave it up to the viewer to decide. This film does an excellent job of giving us very flawed characters doing extremely questionable things. It's well made and well acted; disturbing but definitely worth the watch.

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This lovely movie was based on Doris Lessing's short story "The Grandmothers". I just saw the premiere at Sundance and absolutely loved it. Supposedly inspired by a true story, it's about two mothers who really like their son's best friend (their best friend's son) And that tag line is what you'll hear all about. Oh, the horror. I imagine middle age male reviewers will not particularly like this movie, though gay men will most likely love it. But it's a film about women--their friendships, husbands, relationships, sons and lovers. It's directed by Anne Fontaine, a French woman (which explains the exorbitant number of scenes with smoking cigarettes, and an insanely un-American story concept that young men might be attracted to older women.)

It's beautifully crafted (gorgeous cinematography) and has intelligent editing (watch for the skillful matched cuts that "age" the characters). The performances are all around great. Robin Wright is amazing--it's an Oscar caliber performance, however, the film probably won't get a large enough release to be on the radar for awards (sort of like poor John Hawkes not getting nominated for "The Sessions", what was the Academy thinking?) Of course, setting the movie in Australia means the other main character is the location. Tanned surfing teenage boys with model-beautiful mothers in bikinis, cowabunga mate (and significantly less handsome husbands and admirers, thankfully not shown in Speedos.)

There was laughter in the screening in places unexpected by the director, but this was probably just anxious laughter by viewers unaccustomed to thinking about middle aged women having sexual and emotional interest in younger men. Actually, I felt the laughter lightened up the viewing experience, and made the characters more human (okay, so I laughed and cried in this movie, but I never laughed at it.) At almost every story point where an expected turn would happen (if following Hollywood development script notes) the writer took what I call the "elegant decision" and pleasantly surprised me.

This is all around superb filmic story telling. Brilliant performances, intelligent and gentle direction, spectacular scenery, highly professional technical craftsmanship, and (for most of us, I expect) new emotional territory. It's a great film. I truly hope you get to see it.

Lil (Naomi Watts) and Roz (Robin Wright) are two lifelong friends living their idyllic beach life. Lil had lost her husband years ago. Roz is married to Harold (Ben Mendelsohn). Harold is moving to Sydney for a new job and expects his family to come with him. Their kids Ian (Xavier Samuel) and Tom (James Frecheville) are grown young men. Then one summer, the mothers develop relationships with the other's son.

There are so many problems with this movie. There is no subtleties here. We're just plowing through this thing. There is just a fraction of a second thought. It starts quickly with lines like "They're like young Gods." Then there is a lack of appreciation of the story inherent pulpiness. It treats the story so seriously. For this kind of dysfunction to feel real, this needs some real pre-existing dysfunctional relationships. It's just so beachy, sunny, and beautiful. It's both so lite and so heavy at the same time. This is the essence of beautiful people's problems. They don't have real problems so they have to create them. Although there are some great actors, there is little life in this movie. The movie is not as edgy as it thinks it is.

Many of the reviews for this film seem polarized. Either they find it heroic or they despise it. I don't think it deserves either response.

The story explores the results of two contentious and dangerous relationships. There is suspense because there is an element of inevitability and it's just a matter of WHEN the house of cards collapses due to a mistake or poor judgment.

The acting is good. The conflicting feelings are believable. The writing is good--not because it advocates a point of view, but because it allows the characters to travel on a journey that feels possible and, sometimes, probable.

The film is set on beachfront property and it provides a beautiful and natural background that is also sensual.

There are many story lines what could have been cheesy or pandering, but the film remarkably feels set in a reality of consequences.

The film looks like it was hastily written which made it too predictable from the start. Predictable not only for the audience but also from the characters perspective.

The story didn't flesh out and complex themes as this was dealt in an oversimplified fashion. The characters were unconvincing as they all seemed to have foresight of things and played their part in furtherance of it. While the actors may have have been technically sound with their acting given their vast experience, they lacked any iota of chemistry between them, appearing disenchanted and in a hurry to get through the scenes quickly. As a result the liaison lacked soul, neither wholly ribald nor a meeting of hearts.

From the directional point, intriguing plots such as this need special attention to the emotional perspective rather than a depiction of carnal desire and for that mounting tensions between the characters, their angst and evading suspicion while they continued notwithstanding ought to have taken centerstage, but it wasn't to be.

What added to the dreariness was the lack of minor subplots that usually goes into building a story as the entire plot revolves around 4 people living a holiday life on a seemingly deserted island. There are few social interactions and not much is discussed about work, family, friends or anything thing else and 20 mins in they are seen in each others sheets.

Unconventional stories as this aren't completely unheard of especially with European cinema, cite: Womb(2010); Y Tu Mama Tambien, etc. But I'd admit this had the potency to stoke strong emotions though that chance went abegging owing to the lackadaisical writing and acting. Hopefully someday in the future, some other will take this venture up and render due justice to its theme.

Well done. Well acted. But it is all events without exploration of those events. There is not enough dialog to explore how characters are reacting to their situation. At one point the boys fight, one trying to drown the other. The cause of the fight is never explained or explored. People get hurt. Relationships are damaged. But the film doesn't explore how the main four characters feel about the damage they've caused. The male actors seem to cast for their bodies not their acting abilities. Ultimately disappointed with characters that are depicted as apathetic, remorseless and selfish.

I almost didn't watch this film due to its average rating and some of the reviews here. I suspect the negative reviews have more to do with people rigid world views and moral inclinations than actual capacity to distinguish any kind of subtlety in the way the story unfolds.

Interestingly it doesn't actually unfold as one would expect and as some commentators have claimed.

Naomi Watts acting is excellent and the emotions she conveys make the story believable.

As for the 2 young surfer dudes, one of them actually looks a bit like Julian Wilson (Top pro surfer) which should be a pleasant surprise for the ladies out there.

The location, beach houses, cinematography are beautiful and makes you want to move to Australia. Just for that the movie is worth watching.

I thought this was a really good movie.

Whats bullshit is Netflix has movies like this with 1 or 2 stars that people don't watch and pass up because of the low ratings. I wish they would give IMDb ratings so that I could really gauge what to give a chance.

But anyways, again I thought it was a really good movie, with a realistic plot and story line. I thought it would have a "lifetime" feel to it but it had a life of its own.

If you don't have much to do, and you have an hour or two on your hands to watch a movie, I suggest this one.

The movie may have been well done, but epitomizes a subtle double standard in relationships (I'll point out at the end). These characters are all to common now in my country. The shallow juvenile characters who refuse to grow up or even act their age, and then pass on that legacy to their children by becoming their lovers. Two hot actresses(and good ones I might add) to play the "cougars" and some young virile metro sexual men to play their boy toys. This movie I can see as a fantasy scenario for real life people who have difficulty coming to terms with aging, so entertaining from that perspective surely. Even the dialogue is on par with how relationships like these transpire in real life.

Have to side with FrostyChud on this one. I'd say read his review, for I will only add this. Let's imagine a situation where its not older women but older men doing the same thing. Hopefully that will get the point across.

Let me start with saying that when the movie was finished and the lights were on again, I did not want it to end. I wanted to see what would happen even afterwards, I wanted it to continue. I was stunned to my seat with lot of thoughts and emotions.

Plot: Two lifelong friends and mothers - Lil, who is a widower and Roz, who is married - whose bonds go back to their childhood, adore each other and their sons. Their sons are also best friends and during one summer evening after wine and fun Roz and Ian (Lil's son) are getting attracted to each other. Passion takes them into unknown and questionable territory - they have sex. Tom (Roz's son) sees his mother leaving Ian's room and Tom takes the news to Lil. It doesn't take long for Lil and Tom to fall into the same pattern.

There are hesitations, but these do not last long and the secret relationships continue until the plot takes you to 2 years later when Tom goes to Sydney. His visit to Sydney changes everything for four of them - the nasty truth has its way to come out and alter everybody's happy lives.

I loved the story. It was dramatic, heartbreaking, beautiful and sad. I loved the relationships and how these were handled in the movie. It's a story where you have high doubts about happy endings. But the plot and the director kept surprising you and it asked a lot of important questions. What kind of love is acceptable? Does age matter? Can people handle the consequences of their own actions and do these make them happy? Is it allowed to fall passionately in love when you are middle-aged? Why are people willing to give up on love even though they do not want to do that, but know it's the only reasonable thing to do? Is it love when you do what you think is best and hurt the one you love with that? All these and many other questions were raised and it is up to the viewer to decide and find the answers to them. What I loved about Adore was exactly, that the answers were not given to you, it woke a lot of thoughts.

Adore was filled with interesting relationships. My favorite was the relationship between Roz and Ian and it broke my heart to see what people do to the ones they love. Roz wanted to give Ian free because of her loyalty to Lil and because she wanted that Ian could enjoy his young life. The sad thing was, that Ian did not want that freedom, he ached for Roz for years, he loved her. Roz did what she felt was right and suffered because of that.

When you look at the relationship between Lil and Tom, it was simpler, but not easier for that matter. There were more secrets and these secrets hurt the not only themselves, but also Ian and Roz.

Adore is a movie about love and betrayal and relationships.

Directing, sets: I have seen few other movies directed by Anne Fontaine and Adore proved once again, than she is one of the best female contemporary directors. I personally think she did an excellent work with the movie.

The settings in the New South Wales in Australia were beautiful. There were lot of scenes on and nearby the sea and beach. It was absolutely breathtaking! Casting and the ensemble: Both Naomi Watts and Robin Wright belong to my long-time favorites and the delivered exactly and more what I expected from them. Bigger surprises were the young men playing Ian and Tom - Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville. I truly liked how they played their characters, they had quite a big tasks with these roles and they were believable and natural as Ian and Tom. Very suitable cast in my opinion.

Generally: Adore is a controversial movie. I think there are people who would love the imbroglio of relationships and friendships and then there are the ones who would judge them. I belong to the first group. I really enjoyed the drama!

The scenery in the film was beautiful. However, there were some cringe worthy lines and scenes, the development of the plot was not very smooth...at times very cliche, and I did not exactly understand the ending - at one point, I even wondered if they could possibly be dead because they looked quite lifeless. Nonetheless, it was a pretty scene, good enough to make it to the cover of the film. I also agree with other reviewers that there was an absence of character development. I think my main motivation for finishing the movie was the beautiful actresses and actors plus the magnificent scenery. Don't think I would watch it again, but that's just me!

Pathetic, glossy film of 4 brain dead who are, oh so shockingly, oh so interestingly, having sex with one another. These 4 lobotomy cases do nothing all day except go to parties, screw around, and sigh over their miserable life. Forget about having jobs or actually having a real life. The dialogues sound like they have been copied from some class B soft erotic film of the 80's (Blue Lagoon, or Paradise ?). Zero character development, zero script depth, but after all why would they need them, it's all about showing pretty faces and bodies (possibly blond, of course). A porn film would have had more dignity.

I fortunately watched this on a plane, otherwise I would have seriously been furious for the money thrown away.

I'll be blunt.

I had to see the film after I saw it on someone's most controversial movies list. The premise of two moms sleeping with each other's sons, especially when one of those moms is Naomi Watts, who I could not wait to see play hot MILF, was so appealing to me that I put it on top of my to watch list.

But from the poster, I assumed they were two woman who happen to be vacationing in the same place and just so happen to start sleeping with the other one's offspring. Instead it's a story of two women who not only knew each other all their lives, they also knew each other's sons since they were children. Sorry, but my open mind started to close after that came to light in the first five minutes.

It may seem sexist, but I can't help to think this guilty pleasure would not have gotten made if it was two dads getting it on with their best friend smoking hot, barely legal daughter. Seems like a double standard as you could at best make a comedy about it rather than the steaming Romantic outing this movie is.

It does not help that Robin Wright plays the other mom. It may just be her haircut that gives me the impression of a liberated woman who would defend her characters mid-life crisis, despite the fact that all I see going on here is a male fantasy for those under the age of twenty four.

But you'll have to excuse my rant as the movie is actually genus. It helps that they got such fine actors as Watts & Wright to play the lead roles. Any thing less would have made this no better than a a late night romp on skinemax.

The filmmakers handle the subject matter with poise and respect. Sometimes a little over melodramatic to prove this point in this twisted version of how Stella got her grove back, especially considering that the boy they got to play Wright's love interest could have been better cast as her son.

Overall...this movie got weirder the more further it went down the rabbit hole, but the stranger it got the more I loved it, even the times I almost vomited in my mouth.

It shows a great depth in the relationship between the four that was just too well done.

Definitely worth talking about.