Last Friday the 11th, a new Netflix Original film was added to our screens – The Adam Project. It shows a nerdy and slightly asthmatic Adam Reed (Walker Scobell) who struggles at school having recently lost his father in an accident. But after finding a strange man in his backyard shed and discovering it's actually himself from the future, specifically 2050 (Ryan Reynolds), his world is literally changed for the better. We see ‘Little Adam’ and ‘Middle-Aged Adam’ support each other through life’s struggles to save the ones they love. No spoilers, but it perfectly balances emotional moments with action-packed ones.
Let’s get the main point out of the way – yes, this is yet another film where everyone’s biggest crush, Ryan Reynold’s, plays himself. But I don’t think anyone should ever complain about him playing to his strengths when it clearly pays off, right? Playing the ‘older’ Adam he shows a sense of authority and that kind of father figure, without actually being a father. His younger self, played by the very talented 13-year-old Walker Scobell, does the perfect impression of Reynolds, imitating his dry and awkward sense of humour, allowing audiences to see the connection between the two (there isn’t much of a physical likeness). The two of them bounce off each other and I think have been perfectly cast to play, well, each other!
More on the star-filled cast, we see Adam’s parents played by Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. A lovely little 13 Going on 30 (2004) reunion! These two bring the more heart-warming and emotional scenes to the film, grounding the overall storyline, making it more relatable to most audience members. Aside from these scenes, the action in this movie has clearly had a big budget. Creator, director and best buddy of Reynolds, Shawn Levy (Free Guy (2021), Night at the Museum (2006)) shows time travel in a more realistic way, with a nice focus on the science as well as the action. Car chases, explosions, guns on VR drones and what appears to be a modern-day lightsaber – this film, set in the past, present and future, has it all!
Despite its cheesy moments, mainly its references to the Back to the Future trilogy, this film has nicely lived up to the hype. Thanks to the stellar cast and not-too-complicated storyline, it is a good film to watch with family and friends on a cosy evening in. Especially if you are into Levy’s film-making style (Free Guy is one of my favourites) get ready for an emotional and action-packed rollercoaster. Based simply on Reynold’s childhood imagination, this is a good watch, and if it has taught me anything, it’s that being a nerd really does pay off sometimes (thank goodness!).
