Today we begin choosing the most remarkable freshman class in Princeton history – Admission
SATs…ACTs…Kaplan Prep…Advanced Placement Math (English, Chemistry, etc.). Most of high school is dedicated to one thing…College Admission. It seems like ages ago, and despite the fact that I never aspired to attend an Ivy League school, I still remember the stress associated with applying for and getting accepted into college.
On the surface, Focus Features’ latest Romantic Comedy/Drama, “Admission,” explores the stresses and politics that surround the college admissions process. Each year, Princeton University admissions officer Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) holds the fate of thousands of students in her hands. Her life is consistent and comfortable, so when the Dean of Admissions announces his imminent retirement, there is the potential for Portia to succeed him. It is on her annual recruiting trip to New Quest that her world gets rocked. Her former college classmate John Pressman (Paul Rudd) proposes that one of his highly gifted students is the son she gave up for adoption years ago. This is the beginning of a series of events that rattle Portia, causing her to question her life, her relationships, her career, and her perspective on parenthood.
As Portia wrestles with the idea of Jeremiah (Nat Wolff) being her son, she learns that he is aspiring to apply to Princeton. In what seems like an instant, her focus shifts from advancing her career to entertaining the idea of being a mother and Portia begins bending the rules of admission. Producer Kerry Kohansky-Roberts “loved the concept of an admissions counselor who has her confirmed opinions on parents and the lengths they go to in order to place their kids in the right university – and then, ironically, ends up behaving in a more extreme way than any of them.”
Admission is so much more than a film exploring the world of college admissions. It is about other types of admissions…that as parents, we aren’t perfect…that we do the best we can and our childrens’ successes or failures are not the sole measure of our effectiveness…that it is ok to take an alternate path…or to simply be different.
The film is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, filled with heart, humor and romance. Fey, typically known for her comedic roles, plays a very touching, inspirational role and shows how a mother can readily accept a child who she believes is her own, despite spending so much time apart. The relationship between Portia and her mother Susannah (Lily Tomlin) is funny, tender, and at times, unexpected. And the budding romance between Portia and John, while predictable, is awkward yet charming and sincere.
Admission debuts in theaters nationwide on March 22nd, 2013.
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to screen the film and participate in a press day, which helped facilitate the writing of this post.
Images: Focus Features
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