Admission (FILM REVIEW)
Admission
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Princeton Provides Setting for Adaptation of
Best Seller about College Application Process
Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) has worked
for 16 years in the admissions office at Princeton,
the college regularly rated the best in the country by experts. Because of her
pivotal role in picking prospective students for the highly-selective Ivy
League institution, the highly-principled administrator often finds herself
approached by pushy, helicopter parents seeking preferential treatment for their
children.
That’s why she prides herself on never
having compromised the integrity of the application process, a commitment also appreciated
by the outgoing Dean of Admissions (Wallace Shawn). In fact, he’s recently
indicated that upon his impending retirement, he’s prepared to recommend either
her or the equally-dedicated Corinne (Gloria Reuben) as his replacement.
That announcement jumpstarts a fierce
competition between the two colleagues which soon has Portia venturing to New Hampshire in search
of qualified candidates. There, she visits an alternative high school whose handsome
principal, John Pressman (Paul Rudd) had been a classmate of hers at Dartmouth. Sparks fly, but nothing
transpires, because she’s in a committed relationship.
Instead, John just pressures Portia
to interview Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), a bright but
underachieving student with a woeful academic transcript. She has no problem dismissing the kid out of hand
until the headmaster slips her a birth certificate showing that he’s the son she surrendered for adoption as a baby.
Suddenly,
Portia’s maternal instincts kick in and she finds herself on the horns of a
dilemma. Should reject this candidate who is clearly not Princeton
material, or should she bend the rules for her own flesh and blood? After all,
it’s the least she could do, since she played no part in raising him.
That
is the conundrum at the heart of Admission a delightful, romantic dramedy
directed by Paul Weitz (American Pie). Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s best
seller of the same name, the film offers a very revealing peek at the cutthroat,
college entrance process from the gatekeepers’ point of view.
Besides
the temptation of nepotism, the film revolves around the tender romance between
Portia and John which conveniently has a chance to blossom when she’s abandoned
by her philandering boyfriend (Michael Shannon) upon returning home from New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, intriguing subplots abound involving a cornucopia of colorful
support characters.
For
instance, itinerant bachelor John has an adopted African son (Travaris Spears)
who craves the sort of predictability his settling down with a stable woman might
provide. And Portia needs to mend fences with her estranged mother (Lily
Tomlin), a breast cancer survivor who in turn might benefit from the attention
of an ardent admirer (Olek Krupa). Additional sidebars feature memorable cameos
by Roby Sobieski (Leelee’s little brother), Asher Muldoon (author Korelitz’s
son) and an emerging ingénue in Nadia Alexander.
An
alternately comical and thought-provoking cautionary tale that’s every bit as
hilarious as it is sobering.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity and some sexuality
Running time: 117 minutes
Distributor: Focus
Features
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