Admission Synopsis: Straitlaced Princeton University admissions officer, Portia Nathan is caught off-guard when she makes a recruiting visit to an alternative high school overseen by her former college classmate, the freewheeling John Pressman. Pressman has surmised that Jeremiah, his gifted yet very unconventional student, might well be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption many years ago.
Princeton admissions officer Portia (Tina Fey) is gunning for a promotion. However, her chances of moving up the ladder at work are threatened when she meets Jeremiah, a gifted student who doesn’t precisely meet Princeton’s traditional standards.
Portia finds herself attracted to Jeremiah’s teacher, John (Paul Rudd), which only complicates matters. Oh, and Jeremiah might be the baby that Portia gave up for adoption when she was in college.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Admission, so I only remembered bits and pieces of the film, but I’ll watch anything with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd in it.
Admission is a cute enough movie. Tina Fey is pretty great at playing a woman who has her life in order and is struggling to maintain the status quo. Paul Rudd is Paul Rudd – charming, adorable, and impossible to dislike. The two of them together aren’t sizzling on screen, but they’ve got pleasant enough chemistry to enjoy the blossoming romance between Portia and John.
At the core of Admission is Portia’s realization that John’s student could be her son. This is what drives Portia to turn her life upside down. In an effort to help Jeremiah get accepted into Princeton, her maternal side kicks in, and she’s willing to sacrifice everything she’s built. There’s a small twist toward the end of the film, which could frustrate a viewer, but I thought it helped propel Portia’s character development, so I appreciated it.
I enjoyed the cast quite a bit. I’ve already gushed about Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, but Nat Wolff is affable as Jeremiah, and Michael Sheen is a comedic bright spot as Portia’s boyfriend, Mark. Then, of course, we have Wallace Shawn as Portia’s boss and the always amazing Lily Tomlin as Portia’s mother, Susannah. Their unconventional relationship is one of the movie’s bright spots – Susannah is the complete opposite of maternal, and it’s easy to see why Portia became the way she is. But Fey and Tomlin have a lovely and hilarious rapport, and I think the Admission is worth watching for that alone.
I can’t say that this movie is an outright rom-com, because it’s not. It’s a romantic comedy-drama, but the focus is more on Portia and her unraveling life as soon as John and Jeremiah walk into it. There are some genuinely amusing moments, and I did find parts of it pretty cute, but ultimately Admission is an average, somewhat forgettable comedy.
Watched: 02/17/2024
Notable Song: (What I) Wouldn’t Do by A Fine Frenzy
