Admission is a movie that you wish was better than it actually is. It has a likable, talented cast, but a protagonist that would be described as an emotional wreck whose inability to separate her professional and private life has devastating results.
Tina Fey plays Portia Nathan, a Princeton admissions officer who seemingly has her life together, living happily childless with her long term boyfriend. Things begin to fall apart when said boyfriend dumps Portia for another woman he has impregnated. Portia then meets John Pressman (Paul Rudd) who further upends her life with the news that one of his students, Jeremiah, may be the child Portia gave up for adoption years before, and could she help him with his Princeton admission. John also becomes a love interest for Portia. Portia becomes attached to both John and Jeremiah which leads to an emotionally charged destruction of her professional life.
Admission is not a bad movie. It is not a good movie. It is somewhere on the spectrum between below average and average. At times, it seems like it wants to be a rom-com, at other times, it seems like it is a much more highly charged drama. It also feels like Paul Rudd and Tina Fey should have good chemistry together, but they just do not. Lily Tomlin is pretty good in her role, though, so there is that. Overall, I would say it makes for generally pleasant viewing, just do not go in expecting much.
Tina Fey plays Portia Nathan, a Princeton admissions officer who seemingly has her life together, living happily childless with her long term boyfriend. Things begin to fall apart when said boyfriend dumps Portia for another woman he has impregnated. Portia then meets John Pressman (Paul Rudd) who further upends her life with the news that one of his students, Jeremiah, may be the child Portia gave up for adoption years before, and could she help him with his Princeton admission. John also becomes a love interest for Portia. Portia becomes attached to both John and Jeremiah which leads to an emotionally charged destruction of her professional life.
Admission is not a bad movie. It is not a good movie. It is somewhere on the spectrum between below average and average. At times, it seems like it wants to be a rom-com, at other times, it seems like it is a much more highly charged drama. It also feels like Paul Rudd and Tina Fey should have good chemistry together, but they just do not. Lily Tomlin is pretty good in her role, though, so there is that. Overall, I would say it makes for generally pleasant viewing, just do not go in expecting much.