"Admission" is a very heart steady, outlandishly mediocre story trying its best to pass itself as more. Tina Fey and Paul Rudd as possible love interests fizzled into watered down blandness and the movie is dotted throughout with a weak and awkward screen chemistry. Sadly, it's still a better love story than Twilight. I will try my best to not spoil the movie for those so inclined to give their hard earn money for a light napping session, but I can't not talk about certain parts so here we go.
SPOILER ALERT (sorta)
Tina Fey, Portia, plays just about who she always plays: socially awkward, hard working, childless mid 30's something woman (with glasses no shocker there) who is a Princeton University admissions officer; long term relationship with a Princeton... professer? --who knows!-- who are contently unhappy with each other. Paul Rudd, John, plays the cool "there are no rules man" adventurous school teacher / Greenpeace member / Mr. unconventional hot guy running an alternative school that teaches kids to be free spirited and cognitive thinkers-- he also adopted an african kid and is rich. The rest is movie fools gold. While watching it, I felt like the screenplay may have been the final project written by a college sophomore taking his first screenwriting class. The momentum is lacking, and even if it meant to be unconventional in its story arc set up (you know three acts, 2 set backs, and a climax) Karen Croner did a terrible job setting up fluidity. As much as it hurts me to say, I am not a fan of this style (believe me, as a woman in this business, we really should stick together). Maybe it's not even the writer's fault! Maybe it's Paul Weitz, the director of the yawn inducing film. Either way... meeeeh! Let's continue
Portia's mother is all over the place with her woman's feminist time warp movement. There's a Princeton professor who has no purpose in the movie, it seems, other than to be painfully blunt and to prey on Portia's mother for sexual enlightenment (though I must say his accent is devilishly sexy, and there's a certain sort of allure to the character). Come to find out, there's a possibility John only contacted Portia because he did some snooping and thinks Jeremiah, boy genius who happens to be a student at his school (have I not mentioned him yet?), might be her illegitimate offspring she gave up 18 years prior. That's right, Portia's a whore. Just kidding. It's much deeper than that. John knows the potential Jeremiah--boy genius-- has and would like to help him get into Princeton. Coming across possible information that points Portia as possible mummy makes him think he has the right to barge into her life.
Some scenes weren't even necessary, which is always a bad sign. Once you get past the drag, you do however see some of the underlining social issues that the movie is trying to touch on: college age pregnancy, adoption (and if you think about it abortion or the decision against it), what motherhood means to some, life cycle, family, the list can go on; kudos on that. But more scenes were about awkward kissing than real issues. Another redeeming quality of the film is the running gag through out between Portia and her previous boyfriend (that one I mentioned before, he becomes her ex). Portia finds herself constantly running into him at what can be possibly her lowest points in the movie (with his pregnant lover in tow). Those parts made me laugh the hardest because they were hardly necessary and yet very much welcomed for their awkward randomness. Without those little golden moments and the social worker's laundry list of societal problems, the movie would have been beyond tolerable.
Oh I lie. There is another redeeming factor: how the movie ends. Movies are suppose to be this gateway to another world almost. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back; happily ever after. I'm a big fan of the movies that have loose ends and reality checks. This movie definitely ends with a pretty forward reality check: if you do something wrong, illegal, or bad there are consequences; you won't magically be exempt from them. There are so many decisions we make in our lives and the consequences that follow may take years before we realize them; and sometimes we don't get a second chance. I didn't see it as the happiest of endings and I was okay with that. It wasn't the happiest of stories. It's not a comedy (outside of the running gag).
I have a tendency to only write reviews about terrible movies. I'm trying to change that. I want to also write reviews about great ones. Admissions is not a great one. Watch at your own risk... of dying from bordem.
Sorry Admission; your denial letter is in the mail!
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