In one sentence: Adore follows two lifelong friends who find their bond tested when each begins a secret affair with the other’s son, setting in motion a tangled web of love, loyalty and taboo desire.
Cinema frequently explores forbidden love, but rarely with the ambiguous morality and emotional nuance found in Adore. The film challenges audiences not through shock alone, but through its refusal to provide easy answers about right, wrong or the nature of desire.
The film follows childhood best friends Lil (Naomi Watts) and Roz (Robin Wright), who remain inseparable into adulthood and each raise a son of a similar age. After Lil’s husband dies while the boys are still young, the story jumps forward to their adulthood. Lil’s son, Ian (Xavier Samuel), and Roz’s son, Tom (James Frecheville), are also best friends, spending much of their time between the two neighbouring homes. Everything appears close-knit and harmless until Ian makes a late night move on the married Roz and the two begin a sexual relationship. Tom witnesses the encounter and, in shock, goes straight to Lil’s house to tell her. The following morning, he initiates a relationship with her, turning an already complicated situation into something far more tangled. The film then explores the emotional fallout as secrecy, guilt and desire ripple through the two families.
Based on Doris Lessing’s novella, The Grandmothers, the premise is undeniably provocative, particularly as both women have acted as surrogate mothers to each other’s sons. The film walks a delicate line between empowerment and discomfort. On one hand, it presents mature female sexuality without apology. On the other hand, the secrecy surrounding the relationships suggests an awareness of their disruptive nature. The two relationships evolve differently. Ian appears genuinely in love with Roz and she gradually softens towards him. Despite its taboo nature, their connection develops an emotional authenticity. Lil and Tom’s relationship, by contrast, begins in anger and retaliation. Tom acts out of fury at his friend and mother, while Lil quickly becomes emotionally invested. A curious power imbalance emerges as although the women are older, the young men hold the advantage of youth and the option to move on to partners of their own age. It is a complex and unsettling portrait of desire, control and emotional dependency.
The film’s style is restrained and mature, avoiding gratuitous nudity despite its subject matter. Scenes unfold at a gentle pace, allowing the audience to observe the psychological consequences rather than simply the scandal itself. Nothing is heavily moralised. Instead, the film presents events as they are and trusts viewers to form their own conclusions about the characters’ choices and motivations.
The setting plays a crucial role. Shot along Australia’s breathtaking coastline, the film is steeped in sun-soaked beaches, turquoise water and languid summer days. Few films capture the allure of coastal Australia quite so vividly. The neighbouring coastal homes, secluded stretches of sand and endless ocean create a sense of isolation that makes such secret relationships feel plausible. The natural beauty also provides a striking contrast to the emotional turbulence beneath the surface and lends the film an almost hypnotic atmosphere.
Performance is another major strength. Watts and Wright share an easy, believable chemistry that sells decades of friendship, while Samuel and Frecheville hold their own opposite two highly accomplished actresses. The relationships feel natural rather than performative, which makes the unfolding drama all the more unsettling. Together, the cast grounds the film’s controversial premise in emotional authenticity.
Overall, Adore is an intriguing slow burn that explores the long term consequences of taboo relationships with sensitivity and restraint. Its slow, sensual pacing and ambiguous moral stance will not suit everyone, but for those willing to engage with its complexity, it offers a compelling and quietly provocative viewing experience.
★★★★ (4/5)
Rhiann’s Reels 