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15 ON THE SCREEN WHAT TO WATCH WHEN YOU’RE STAYING HOME MARCH 30�APRIL 6, 2022 Netflix’s ‘The Adam Project’ has a winning sci-fi formula By Mark Meszoros The News-Herald THE ADAM PROJECT 3 stars (out of 4) MPAA rating: PG-13 (for violence/action, language and suggestive references) Running time 1:46 Where to watch: On Netfl ix W atch Walker Scobell for only a minute or so in “The Adam Project” and you’ll be convinced he spent hours study- ing Ryan Reynolds in preparation for the movie. In the consistently entertain- ing and relatively family-friendly sci-fi action romp — which plays like a cross between “Back to the Future” and “Big” and de- buted on Netfl ix — the 13-year- old Scobell portrays the younger version of Reynolds’ character, Adam Reed. As Young Adam, Scobell has his older counterpart’s speech cadence down and sounds like a chip off the sarcastic-but- charming block. Apparently, the actor — who, according to the movie’s pro- duction notes, had done little more than a middle-school play before cast — already had done the needed prep work for “The Adam Project.” A huge fan of the “Deadpool” movies, which Doane Gregory/Netfl ix/TNS Walker Scobell, left, and Ryan Reynolds in “The Adam Project.” star Reynolds as the titular foul- mouthed, murderous antihero, Scobell apparently had memo- rized “Deadpool 2” by the time he was 11. (Given the content of those decidedly R-rated super- hero romps, we may need to have a talk with his parents.) “The Adam Project” begins by informing us via on-screen text that time travel is real but that we just don’t know it yet. We then meet Reynolds’ Adam in 2050, in the middle of a stressful situa- tion. Big Adam is piloting a craft above earth’s atmosphere we will come to know as a “time jet.” He’s bleeding and confi rms to a woman over the radio that he is, in fact, stealing it. As he’s being fi red upon by another craft, he opens a wormhole in space and fl ies through it. We then cut to 2022, where we meet Young Adam. “Adam!” yells another boy chasing him through a crowded school hallway. “I’m going to kill you!” Seems Adam has always had a way with people. Young Adam is a handful for Your Adventure Awaits! Thousands of titles Unlimited # of sessions at ’ his mom, Ellie (Jennifer Garner, “Love, Simon”), who’s raising him alone since the accidental death a year or so ago of his father. Upset with her son for now being suspended from school for fi ghting for the third time, she asks him why he’s just taken on a schoolmate twice his size. “EVERYONE is twice my size!” he says. “I’ve seen babies big- ger than me!” Not surprisingly, then, when he meets his future self — Big Adam, it turns out, has trav- eled back in time to 2022 and is hiding out in the family garage while he heals — he’s pretty ex- cited to see all the muscles he’ll develop over the decades. At fi rst, of course, he doesn’t know he’s just met an older version of himself and threatens the visitor with a baseball bat. “If I wanted to hurt you,” Big HOT FOOD COLD BEER and our Coffee is always on! supplies for fishing and picnics too! 2400 Resort Street Baker City, OR 97814 Explore the ONLINE LIBRARY at www.bakerlib.org 541.523.6419 info@bakerlib.org Adam says, “I’d have done it already. Because if I’m being honest with myself, you have a very punchable face.” It doesn’t take long for Young Adam to piece together who this guy is, and he soon learns Big Adam needs his help in his all-important mission. The adventure that follows involves more time travel and brings into the fold secondary characters portrayed by Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek”), Mark Ruf- falo (“Avengers: Endgame”) and Catherine Keener (“Capote”). “The Adam Project” is nicely directed by Shawn Levy, whose credits include 2003’s “Cheaper by the Dozen,” 2005’s “Night at the Museum” and last year’s “Free Guy,” which also starred Reynolds. The two greatly enjoyed each other and sought out another project, landing on a script co-written by Jonathan Tropper, who saw his 2009 novel, “This Is Where I Leave You,” adapted for the big screen by Levy in 2014. Levy deserves a lot of credit for what works here, from the pacing down to a few well- placed classic-rock songs, including Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times.” 214 W North St. Enterprise, OR 541-426-4824
