IMDb >
Adoration (2008)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsAdoration (2008) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 4 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 2) |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
15 April 2009 (France) morePlot:
For his French-class assignment, a high school student weaves his family history in a news story involving terrorism, and goes on to invite an Internet audience in on the resulting controversy. | full synopsisPlot Keywords:
moreAwards:
1 win & 3 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(39 articles)
Adoration (From Scorecard Review. 29 May 2009, 12:05 AM, PDT)
Movie Review: Adoration
(From MovieRetriever. 22 May 2009, 7:09 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Flawed but ultimately effective and relevant film from Canadian master Egoyan moreUS Showtimes:
(register to personalize)Cast
(Credited cast)| Scott Speedman | ... | Tom | |
| Rachel Blanchard | ... | Rachel | |
| Kenneth Welsh | ... | Morris | |
| Devon Bostick | ... | Simon | |
| Aaron Poole | |||
| Dominic Cuzzocrea | ... | Cab Driver | |
| Katie Boland | ... | Hannah | |
| Noam Jenkins | ... | Sami | |
| Arsinée Khanjian | ... | Sabine | |
| Geraldine O'Rawe | ... | Carole | |
| Duane Murray | ... | Parking Security | |
| Hailee Sisera | ... | Jennifer | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Maury Chaykin | |||
| Soo Garay | ... | Anna / daughter | |
| Ieva Lucs | ... | Irate Woman | |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for language.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
USA:100 min | France:100 minCountry:
CanadaColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreFilming Locations:
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Adoration (2008) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| River's Edge | City of Shoulders and Noses | Polytechnique | Notes on a Scandal | Ray |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb Canada section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |







I'm never going to be the most unbiased observer when it comes to any given Atom Egoyan movie. He is one of my favorite directors and certainly one of the best Canadian directors currently working, and I have enjoyed every one of his films, even the much derided "Where the Truth Lies", which I found to be a tremendously entertaining genre piece.
Still, I was concerned when news of the uninspiring critical response from Cannes came in, and even more concerned when I noticed that the film received several extremely negative reviews, some of them from critics whose tastes match mine. Having now seen "Adoration" at CIFF I'm not going to pretend I can't see where they're coming from- the film is a little preachy, there's bits of acting which are poor, there's a weakness to Egoyan's writing in that he seems to want to touch on every possible viewpoint on the issues being explored here within this running time, and occasionally it comes off as a little desperate.
None of that keeps "Adoration" from being an intensely involving film, and a powerful one as well; a film about prejudices, loss, the power of technology, and the effect of fiction on reality and vice versa will always be topical, but given the actual plot of the film it is particularly relevant to today's world. "Adoration" revolves around Simon (played by Devon Bostick), an orphaned teenager born to a Palestinian father and a white, North American mother, who both died in a car accident when he was a child, and was raised afterwards by his uncle Tom (played brilliantly by Scott Speedman). When Simon writes a story about a terrorist who conceals a bomb inside his pregnant girlfriend's luggage before she boards a plane to Israel and imagines himself as the unborn child that is almost killed by the terrorist bomb (a story which has parallels to his racist and intolerant grandfather's version of the story of how Simon's parents died), his drama and French teacher encourages him to share it with his class, passing it off as truth. What she didn't predict was that Simon would post the story online, creating crazed debates and political agendas. The story doesn't revolve around these discussions, but rather develops from there into a character drama which grows in quality as the film moves forward.
Egoyan does not necessarily hit a home run every time when it comes to his work as a director, but he has never shown incompetence or lack of ability and doesn't do so here. Egoyan's writing, on the other hand, is far more inconsistent and likely to cause issues. As mentioned earlier his writing here is somewhat problematic, but not nearly as bad as certain critics would have you believe. For one, "Adoration" often reminded me of discussion groups I have attended on Islamist terrorism, and the dialogue here, criticized for being artificial and even 'ridiculous' is very true to the sort of dialogue you would get out of a group interested in the topic. The only thing lacking, actually, during the chatroom scenes, was a Muslim voice, which would have only added to the dynamic and realism. Also, as heavy-handed as certain sections are here (though "Crash" makes this film look like the subtlest ever made, so it's not that bad), it's also a film which has a lot to say about human nature and our natural response to the environment we live in and to those surrounding us.
"Adoration" is an effective and intelligent look at topical and relevant issues, but really shines as an examination of the nature of human thought, the results of the sort of environment which surrounds us, where hatred and prejudice is born, and ultimately as a character study of three individuals who all need to overcome events in their past by embracing and fully understanding them.
8/10