Of An Age Movie Review

“Of An Age” is a movie about finding someone who appears to be a soul mate, only to lose that person in less than 24 hours. That is a tough situation for anyone, but to discover what is really deep down inside – it is heart-breaking. Especially when that person you have just found is leaving the next day…

Consider a time back in late December 1999. People are worried about Y2K and the coming millennium. But down under in Australia, it is not a cold, chilly time of despair. It is a hot glorious summer, when high school is out for the break. There are beach parties and also Dance Finals for a couple of young dancers. The female of the pair is Ebony (played by Hattie Hook). It is the bright early morning of the competition.

But Ebony wakes up alone on the sandy shore of the ocean. She was out at a wild party last night, and she does not remember how exactly she got there. She will need to be at the Dance Final later this morning with her dance partner, a fellow high school senior named Kol (played by Elias Anton). He is a Serbian immigrant who is socially awkward, but has good dance moves.

In a panic, Ebony calls Kol, and she tells him that he needs to help her out. She needs her red dress for the Dance Final. And someone needs to pick her up. But Ebony does not know where exactly she is. Kol does not have a car to use, but Ebony has a much older brother. His name is Adam (played by Thom Green), and he has a car. They can both come to pick her up.

Kol gets the dress for Ebony, and then calls Adam. He understands the situation. Ebony has been on the side of crazy before, but never to the point of passing out on the beach. They find out she is in a little tourist town a few hours up the coast. Kol is already dressed in his Dance outfit. He has been running around like a crazy man trying to get everything set to go.

After Adam picks up Kol and they start off to get Ebony, he learns that they will be able to locate her. She will have the dress for the Dance Final. But there will be no way for them to get back in time. Ebony said not to tell her Mom anything, because she will read her the Riot Act. It will be a long drive there and back.

During the drive Adam and Kol talk about various things that they like. They have a similar taste in Latin music and throbbing rhythms. They have read some of the same books, and like some similar authors. They find that both of them have been shy and unassuming at high school. But Adam learned to assert himself, and learned some things are crucial to him. Adam now has an ex — an ex-boyfriend. Kol is not sure how he feels about that.

Kol has been picked on quite a lot at school. His focus has been to put his energy into dance, and he had found a good partner in Ebony. But he really doesn’t like her in ‘that way’. People have many times assumed Kol is gay. But he never tried to give it any thought. But now he finds himself with Adam, he wonders how he does feel about that.

Kol and Ebony have missed the Dance Final, but along with Adam they stop for some lunch. All three of them meet a guy that Adam used to know and he tells them about a big party tonight. They stop first at Ebony’s house, where her Mom reads her the Riot Act. Adam tells Kol that he is leaving the country tomorrow to attend a college in Brazil. He gives Kol some of his old clothes that he is not able to take.

Later that night, Kol gets a call from Ebony to come over to the party. Is Adam there? Kol gets to the party and finds Ebony with all the wild people there. Adam is there and they say hello. Kol gets pulled into getting high with a group of people with Ebony. He is dazed for quite a while and then looks for Adam. But he cannot find him, and starts to walk home in a light rain.

As he is walking back, Adam pulls up and offers him a ride. They decide to spend the rest of the night driving around. They drive up to high overlook just before sunrise. Adam and Kol both feel they have found something very special in one another. They spend a lot of time getting up close and personal for the rest of the night. But finally, the sun rises and Kol needs to get home. Adam has a flight out of the country later that day.

Then ten years pass and it is 2010. Kol is working in London. Ebony is still in Australia, and Kol hears that she is getting married. Kol plans to get to her wedding. When he is there, he runs into Adam. He has just come into the airport, at the same time as Kol. He works in South America. They are both surprised that they meet each other there.

Getting to the wedding venue as Ebony and the others are getting ready, Kol and Adam also arrive. Ebony mentions that Adam is married himself. Kol is still single, and in his heart he was hoping. He was yearning because there was still a place in his life for Adam to be there with him. But now he knows that will never happen. But at least Kol gets a final dance with Ebony at her wedding reception.

“Of An Age” is tender look at how a person might find someone to fulfill their dreams. But then it shows how easily dreams can be shattered. A person can find a perfect match, just by chance, but then see that a match like that will never happen. It is difficult torch to carry, for years at a time – to think that a one-night fling can turn into a full-life thing.

In this movie, there are overtones of ‘Call Me by Your Name’ meets ‘Before Sunrise’. The first movie is a romantic gay relationship over a short summer time period. The second movie is about a couple who meets by chance on a train and Europe, and they end up falling in love in less than a single day. There are elements of both of these stories in “Of An Age’.