As someone who actually does suffer from Asperger's Syndrome, it is easier for me than it might be for some people to understand and relate to many of the things that Adam says and does. I have been apprehensive in the past about viewing films that deal with this sort of subject, as I have learned that many of them paint stereotypical, unrealistic, and occasionally belittling portraits of people in my place or other similar situations. I was pleasantly surprised upon viewing this, as it really hit home in many ways. I often found myself saying "this reminds me of me" when watching Adam live his life from day to day (though we are very dissimilar in that I would never have a tantrum in front of a girl). Finally, this is quite possibly the most down to earth movie of its kind, as there is nothing that happens in it that cannot or is overly unlikely to happen in real life. Unfortunately, I cannot give it a perfect rating, because as impressive as its portrayal of Asperger's syndrome is, the story itself is weak and uninspiring and not as compelling and heart-wrenching as it ought to be.
86 Reviews
You are a part of me
Adam
jaredmobarak18 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Right from the get-go, I knew that Adam was going to be an enjoyable, smartly told tale of love despite humanity's predilection for preconceptions. Just the fact that the film was about a young man with Asperger Syndrome who meets a young girl across the hall of his apartment complex tells you that this won't be your run-of-the-mill rom-com. You have to believe that filmmaker Max Mayer will treat the material with compassion and intelligence; this is not a laugh-out-loud vehicle to use a serious disorder as fodder for chuckles. Any trepidation I may have had was gone after about five minutes, just the amount of time it took to introduce me to our titular character, a span that teaches us so much. A 29-year-old man who has lived with his father in NYC his entire life has just lost the one person who understood him and helped him survive. The vacant stare and inability to show emotion at the funeral is interspersed with the methodical routines of his day. We see the chore sheet for which he must cross off his late duty partner, we see the carefully hung clothing, the boxes of cereal and macaroni and cheese, and we slowly watch it all dwindle away as life alone is just too much to handle so soon. I knew then that the rest of the way would never speak down to me or turn the drama into farce.
One always worries about an actor taking on the task of a mentally disabled role. Sometimes it works, (Rain Man), and sometimes it fails miserably, (I Am Sam) maybe Kirk Lazarus was right, "you never go full retard". But I digress, Hugh Dancy is one of the brightest actors working today, in my opinion, and he knocks this one out of the park. There are moments that linger on his face as his brain works through what has just happened, slowly coming to the realization of what it all means. The expressions are pitch perfect and his portrayal never appears as caricature. With sharp transitions to voracious anger from meek sweetness, the turbulence caught inside of him shows through in those moments that he cannot control himself. As Dancy's Adam states, in a somewhat clunky explanation of the disorder, his condition makes it difficult for him to lie. That mechanism we all possess—and love—to tell the odd white lie and appease those in our company rather than rile them up is absent from him. He speaks the truth, and in return, expects the truth back. Understanding this concept can be tough as a lie is a lie; even if the intentions were pure, the difference can't be seen.
His explosions never escalate to violence towards anyone but himself, although the scene can be scary. More a tantrum than anything else, the emotions inside him are released without control. Words are spoken in a very pragmatic and objective way, something that could be misunderstood, or not, they are his true feelings at the moment after all. **spoilers begin** Because of this, I saw the ending as profound due to the duality in Adam's response to Beth's question on why he wanted her to go with him to California. It starts out as though he will win her heart—by a truth so sweet and romantic—with the words that title this review, but then it all goes sour. His brain sees the question as one that has a correct answer, and that answer is that he needs her to survive. He needs a normal person to help him in the day to day routine, to be his sort of translator to the world. The hard part to witnessing his response is the not knowing what he means by it. Is a person with Aspergers unable to love? Is love to them safety and companionship? Or was his answer his brain's way of saying that she completes him? That she is his world? Love is such an abstract concept that whether he feels it or not, he could never truly express it in words. And that is the true tragedy of life. **spoilers end** Much like another slightly off-kilter romantic comedy this summer, (500) Days of Summer, the ending may be a happy one, just not quite the anticipated "happily ever after" Hollywood has ingrained in our heads. Adam takes all the conventions of the genre and utilizes them to fit the story, not the other way around. The film takes what it needs to be palatable to a broad audience, but never forgets the agenda at its core. For all the quirks and idiosyncrasies involved, they aren't there to be "fresh" or "cool," they are present because the lead character has them. More than a romance, Adam is about a broken man finding his way in life. A lifetime co-dependent realizing that there is a world out there he can become a part of if he has the strength to work at it and try. Beth is the catalyst for his awakening, and he hers too. She finds out that there are people out there who are innocent and sweet; that humanity isn't complete rubbish. Sometimes we meet the person for which we will spend the rest of our lives with in bliss, and other times, first, we must meet someone to remind us that the happily ever after is still possible.
One always worries about an actor taking on the task of a mentally disabled role. Sometimes it works, (Rain Man), and sometimes it fails miserably, (I Am Sam) maybe Kirk Lazarus was right, "you never go full retard". But I digress, Hugh Dancy is one of the brightest actors working today, in my opinion, and he knocks this one out of the park. There are moments that linger on his face as his brain works through what has just happened, slowly coming to the realization of what it all means. The expressions are pitch perfect and his portrayal never appears as caricature. With sharp transitions to voracious anger from meek sweetness, the turbulence caught inside of him shows through in those moments that he cannot control himself. As Dancy's Adam states, in a somewhat clunky explanation of the disorder, his condition makes it difficult for him to lie. That mechanism we all possess—and love—to tell the odd white lie and appease those in our company rather than rile them up is absent from him. He speaks the truth, and in return, expects the truth back. Understanding this concept can be tough as a lie is a lie; even if the intentions were pure, the difference can't be seen.
His explosions never escalate to violence towards anyone but himself, although the scene can be scary. More a tantrum than anything else, the emotions inside him are released without control. Words are spoken in a very pragmatic and objective way, something that could be misunderstood, or not, they are his true feelings at the moment after all. **spoilers begin** Because of this, I saw the ending as profound due to the duality in Adam's response to Beth's question on why he wanted her to go with him to California. It starts out as though he will win her heart—by a truth so sweet and romantic—with the words that title this review, but then it all goes sour. His brain sees the question as one that has a correct answer, and that answer is that he needs her to survive. He needs a normal person to help him in the day to day routine, to be his sort of translator to the world. The hard part to witnessing his response is the not knowing what he means by it. Is a person with Aspergers unable to love? Is love to them safety and companionship? Or was his answer his brain's way of saying that she completes him? That she is his world? Love is such an abstract concept that whether he feels it or not, he could never truly express it in words. And that is the true tragedy of life. **spoilers end** Much like another slightly off-kilter romantic comedy this summer, (500) Days of Summer, the ending may be a happy one, just not quite the anticipated "happily ever after" Hollywood has ingrained in our heads. Adam takes all the conventions of the genre and utilizes them to fit the story, not the other way around. The film takes what it needs to be palatable to a broad audience, but never forgets the agenda at its core. For all the quirks and idiosyncrasies involved, they aren't there to be "fresh" or "cool," they are present because the lead character has them. More than a romance, Adam is about a broken man finding his way in life. A lifetime co-dependent realizing that there is a world out there he can become a part of if he has the strength to work at it and try. Beth is the catalyst for his awakening, and he hers too. She finds out that there are people out there who are innocent and sweet; that humanity isn't complete rubbish. Sometimes we meet the person for which we will spend the rest of our lives with in bliss, and other times, first, we must meet someone to remind us that the happily ever after is still possible.
The Prince and The Pilot
ferguson-68 September 2009
Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer/director Max Mayer is terrific! It is what makes indie films such a treasure ... a small, little personal story that packs a wallop.
Many will remember Hugh Dancy from King Arthur and Jane Austen Book Club. In both, he was eye candy for the girls. Here he stretches his acting chops as Adam, who lives with Asperger's Syndrome. At first, he just strikes us as a guy with no real social skills. It's not until he meets his new neighbor (Rose Byrne) that we begin to understand why he's just not quite right.
Watching their relationship grown in a believable way is a tribute to both actors and a very solid script. A few sub-plots are juggled: death of a parent, living alone, loss of a job, etc, but the key to the film is the relationship and how it keys in our need to connect.
This is the type of film I wish more people would get a chance to see. It has so much more to offer than the over-hyped Hollywood junk that gets forced down our throats at the local megaplex. Adam won't crack the $200 million gross, but Adam will have an impact on you and create some interesting after-film discussion. Isn't that the real fun of movies anyway?
Many will remember Hugh Dancy from King Arthur and Jane Austen Book Club. In both, he was eye candy for the girls. Here he stretches his acting chops as Adam, who lives with Asperger's Syndrome. At first, he just strikes us as a guy with no real social skills. It's not until he meets his new neighbor (Rose Byrne) that we begin to understand why he's just not quite right.
Watching their relationship grown in a believable way is a tribute to both actors and a very solid script. A few sub-plots are juggled: death of a parent, living alone, loss of a job, etc, but the key to the film is the relationship and how it keys in our need to connect.
This is the type of film I wish more people would get a chance to see. It has so much more to offer than the over-hyped Hollywood junk that gets forced down our throats at the local megaplex. Adam won't crack the $200 million gross, but Adam will have an impact on you and create some interesting after-film discussion. Isn't that the real fun of movies anyway?
Adam, he doesn't belong here, but yet, here he is
imdbbl30 December 2009
I've been meaning to watch Adam for quite some time now and the film matched my expectations. The good thing about small independent films is that the stories are usually very personal and rich. That's the case with Adam, a film with substance and meaning. The film begins with the 29 year old Adam attending his father funeral and then returning to a lonely empty house. Beth, a writer damaged from a past relationship moves into the building where Adam lives and soon they meet. Adam is handsome but he's also odd and awkward. He suffers from Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder that causes difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Despite this, Adam is very bright and Beth takes an interest in him. This leads to a relationship but, is it right? Are they fit for each other?... Adam is not so much a romantic comedy but more of a character study as it shows Adam and Beth learning and growing from each other and stepping into unfamiliar territory. Hugh Dancy is tremendous as the lead character Adam and his portrayal never appears as a caricature. Instead he relies on small gestures and certain facial expressions which results in a very moving and impressive performance. Rose Byrne was very good as Beth as well, although I wish her character had been better written. I say this because sometimes, she is extremely sensitive to Adam's condition but on a few occasions she almost seems to forget about it. Peter Gallagher, Rose Byrne and Amy Irving compose the supporting cast with Gallagher doing a terrific job (as usual) as Beth's father. Adam doesn't have the clichéd happy ending so usual in Hollywood, instead it presents us with an authentic and realistic conclusion that felt very satisfying. Adam is a breath of fresh air, it's a genuine film with a very moving and well written story.
8/10
8/10
Of Course the Power of the Story is Destroyed with its Ending
polinagirl-736-6426821 July 2014
This movie was moving along in a lovely manner: amiable characters and a decent plot. The relationship that was presented between the two lovers was raw and genuine several times throughout the movie. HOWEVER, the end of the movie destroyed the central message of the expression of love through means far grander and more universal than just verbal and physical relations. The woman basically gave up on Adam in the end and was content with loving him only in her memories, a disappointment considering there could have been so much power in seeing the two lovers not overcome his aspergers, but rather embrace it as a part of their mutual love. The movie would have otherwise been a solid 8 if it were not for the end.
Profoundly sensitive and instructive movie for those with AS and without
oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx14 February 2010
I've needed to see this movie ever since I heard about it's existence, unfortunately it was not given a proper release in the UK, so I had to wait for the US DVD to come out. It's a film about a relationship between a man with Asperger's Syndrome (Adam) and a young woman (Beth). As I have Asperger's Syndrome and I heard that this movie was well made I was understandably interested. I have tended in the past to find movies and TV shows portraying autism absurd. Fortunately this was not the case here.
The level of observation here was really very good, small things like how Adam doesn't look at people in the face, how he becomes agitated at work over comments that his boss makes that are meant to be humorous or confidence building (I am used to blank stares from my performance planner when I take things the wrong way).
At one point Adam trembles behind his bedroom door when he is being asked to come out to a social event from the other side, pretending he is not there. I've done that myself. He reminds me of me when I was at university. Food fads is another, Adam has Macaroni Cheese every night of the week. Currently I have a chicken Kiev with raw mushrooms and yellow peppers pretty much every night of the week.
Although he's very talented, he only managed to get the electrical engineering job he holds via his father convincing the boss to hire him. I was never able to convince anyone that I was worth hiring, even though I have a degree from Oxford. After several terrible years following university, I managed to get a job in an office where the head of the office was my brother-in-law. I can do the job well, and am even being promoted, getting in the door is the hard part. In the UK at least, employment rates for people with Asperger's Syndrome are upsettingly low. The idea of selling oneself in an interview doesn't work, and when you're up against people who will bend the truth to get ahead, it's really difficult. That's another good thing the film picked up on, honesty. If you're tired of guys lying to you ladies, pick up an Aspie.
I was personally moved a lot by the beginning of the movie and the end of the movie. There's an excellent introduction using the story of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Saint-Exupéry as a metaphor. I knew at this point that it was going to be a good movie, it is perhaps the most tactful and tender approach to the subject that there could be. I won't spoil the ending of the movie, but from reading what other people have said, it's very easy to mistake what is happening, obliquely, I will recommend that you concentrate on an incident concerning boxes.
I'm a few years older than Adam, and readier than he is, but love has never come my way, as there are not many Beths out there, and being 6ft 7 tall and also stocky I am not exactly of the "non-threatening male" physique typified by Hugh Dancy in this movie. My way of boring people to death with over detail is film, and even though I know that people don't want to know I will still start telling them about the history of film starting in 1888 (or if I'm feeling more loquacious, starting with Muybridge). The stupidest cosmological one I do (like Adam), is explain how novae happen in binary systems with a red giant and white dwarf. More recently I have started telling people why Sirius flickers ;) People think I am trying to make them feel stupid or inferior, which is absolutely not the case, but I still do it even though I know this, I just can't stop myself.
As an autistic, I felt that this movie was extremely tender, but also very educational and instructive, I felt almost like I was a chick being feathered off a tree limb for the first flight. "Adam" does not aim at staggering mise-en-scene, it is not an Antonioni movie, but it is possibly the worthiest film you can see. The worst thing about Asperger's is that there are many people who will tell you, even straight to your face, that it doesn't exist, even a doctor I knew was pretty much of that opinion. People associate mental disability with physical impairment, and because there is none with Asperger's (except sometimes clumsiness, or "gangliness"), for a lot of people it just doesn't register, even though there are defined and recognisable developmental symptoms. This film, in a way, is an acknowledgement that it does exist, and is proof if ever I was cynical enough to believe otherwise, that films can change the world.
The level of observation here was really very good, small things like how Adam doesn't look at people in the face, how he becomes agitated at work over comments that his boss makes that are meant to be humorous or confidence building (I am used to blank stares from my performance planner when I take things the wrong way).
At one point Adam trembles behind his bedroom door when he is being asked to come out to a social event from the other side, pretending he is not there. I've done that myself. He reminds me of me when I was at university. Food fads is another, Adam has Macaroni Cheese every night of the week. Currently I have a chicken Kiev with raw mushrooms and yellow peppers pretty much every night of the week.
Although he's very talented, he only managed to get the electrical engineering job he holds via his father convincing the boss to hire him. I was never able to convince anyone that I was worth hiring, even though I have a degree from Oxford. After several terrible years following university, I managed to get a job in an office where the head of the office was my brother-in-law. I can do the job well, and am even being promoted, getting in the door is the hard part. In the UK at least, employment rates for people with Asperger's Syndrome are upsettingly low. The idea of selling oneself in an interview doesn't work, and when you're up against people who will bend the truth to get ahead, it's really difficult. That's another good thing the film picked up on, honesty. If you're tired of guys lying to you ladies, pick up an Aspie.
I was personally moved a lot by the beginning of the movie and the end of the movie. There's an excellent introduction using the story of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Saint-Exupéry as a metaphor. I knew at this point that it was going to be a good movie, it is perhaps the most tactful and tender approach to the subject that there could be. I won't spoil the ending of the movie, but from reading what other people have said, it's very easy to mistake what is happening, obliquely, I will recommend that you concentrate on an incident concerning boxes.
I'm a few years older than Adam, and readier than he is, but love has never come my way, as there are not many Beths out there, and being 6ft 7 tall and also stocky I am not exactly of the "non-threatening male" physique typified by Hugh Dancy in this movie. My way of boring people to death with over detail is film, and even though I know that people don't want to know I will still start telling them about the history of film starting in 1888 (or if I'm feeling more loquacious, starting with Muybridge). The stupidest cosmological one I do (like Adam), is explain how novae happen in binary systems with a red giant and white dwarf. More recently I have started telling people why Sirius flickers ;) People think I am trying to make them feel stupid or inferior, which is absolutely not the case, but I still do it even though I know this, I just can't stop myself.
As an autistic, I felt that this movie was extremely tender, but also very educational and instructive, I felt almost like I was a chick being feathered off a tree limb for the first flight. "Adam" does not aim at staggering mise-en-scene, it is not an Antonioni movie, but it is possibly the worthiest film you can see. The worst thing about Asperger's is that there are many people who will tell you, even straight to your face, that it doesn't exist, even a doctor I knew was pretty much of that opinion. People associate mental disability with physical impairment, and because there is none with Asperger's (except sometimes clumsiness, or "gangliness"), for a lot of people it just doesn't register, even though there are defined and recognisable developmental symptoms. This film, in a way, is an acknowledgement that it does exist, and is proof if ever I was cynical enough to believe otherwise, that films can change the world.
Very good movie but.....
jennared7728 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The movie was very well written and the acting was wonderful but I cannot get over the fact that the Beth character was quite possibly the most selfish character ever written. She "knew" what she was getting into from the beginning when she asked her friend about the illness then picked up that book and read all about it yet she still continued on as if everything he did was a surprise. Even he explained the illness to her. The end of the movie proved just how selfish she was. This movie was very frustrating and honestly I just wanted to kick her! What ever happened to the good old days of boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy girl live happily ever after? Overall the movie had some wonderful and emotional scenes. Acting was superb, writing was outstanding and the interpretation of Aspergers was dead on. Very good movie but yes, very frustrating at times but then again, I am a parent of a blind Aspergers child so I am a bit sensitive to the storyline.
A Beautiful Film.
stiff513 August 2009
Having seen "Adam" just last night, I can definitely say that it is one of the year's best and most touching romantic comedies.
"Adam" stars Hugh Dancy as a man living with Asperger's syndrome who does his best to reach out to his pretty new upstairs neighbor. Due to his condition, Adam isn't the best when it comes to communicating. Though he frequently escapes by submersing himself in the world of space exploration, Adam senses an opportunity for a real human connection after Beth (Rose Byrne) moves into the apartment just upstairs. As Adam attempts to gain control of his off-kilter, sometimes embarrassing social skills, he discovers that with a little patience and understanding, developing a meaningful relationship might not be as hard as he previously thought.
The story is definitely sounds like a different kind of romantic comedy, and that is what it is. It's very different. The relationship between Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne is very genuine. It's very real. The struggles both go through in the film are very well portrayed. Hugh Dancy is wonderful. He had the tough challenge to portray someone who had Asperger's syndrome. His performance was so beautifully done. He was great. Rose Byrne was also brilliant. Her character is attracted to Dancy's character, and further along in the film, she realizes being in a relationship with someone who has Asperger's is definitely something that won't be easy. Byrne's character goes through a lot in the film, and tries to juggle everything with all normal expected human emotion that goes with it. Her character definitely learns a lot throughout the film. Byrne is amazing. Having never heard of Asperger's syndrome before, I walked in with no knowledge of it. The film handled it very well. That's all I can say. It left me with a new interest for Asperger's.
The film had its quirks, smiles, screams, laughs, and tears, but the final product of "Adam" is definitely something to be admired. I'm very glad I saw this film. I recommend this film for everyone. It's a changing film. It changed me. See it. 9/10
"Adam" stars Hugh Dancy as a man living with Asperger's syndrome who does his best to reach out to his pretty new upstairs neighbor. Due to his condition, Adam isn't the best when it comes to communicating. Though he frequently escapes by submersing himself in the world of space exploration, Adam senses an opportunity for a real human connection after Beth (Rose Byrne) moves into the apartment just upstairs. As Adam attempts to gain control of his off-kilter, sometimes embarrassing social skills, he discovers that with a little patience and understanding, developing a meaningful relationship might not be as hard as he previously thought.
The story is definitely sounds like a different kind of romantic comedy, and that is what it is. It's very different. The relationship between Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne is very genuine. It's very real. The struggles both go through in the film are very well portrayed. Hugh Dancy is wonderful. He had the tough challenge to portray someone who had Asperger's syndrome. His performance was so beautifully done. He was great. Rose Byrne was also brilliant. Her character is attracted to Dancy's character, and further along in the film, she realizes being in a relationship with someone who has Asperger's is definitely something that won't be easy. Byrne's character goes through a lot in the film, and tries to juggle everything with all normal expected human emotion that goes with it. Her character definitely learns a lot throughout the film. Byrne is amazing. Having never heard of Asperger's syndrome before, I walked in with no knowledge of it. The film handled it very well. That's all I can say. It left me with a new interest for Asperger's.
The film had its quirks, smiles, screams, laughs, and tears, but the final product of "Adam" is definitely something to be admired. I'm very glad I saw this film. I recommend this film for everyone. It's a changing film. It changed me. See it. 9/10
Alright, nothing remarkable
KineticSeoul26 April 2010
I think this could have been a better movie if it gave more reasons why the audience should sympathize with Adam besides him having Asperger's Syndrome symptoms. He is a likable character at the beginning but I just started to lose sympathy for the guy and he started to become a bit irritating. The movie is also slow at times without explaining much, like the building of the relationship between Adam and Beth and why Beth start to make compromises for Adam who goes around doing some creepy stuff. Which makes me question her attraction to Adam, cause even in the beginning scene he acts really awkward with her, without her knowing about his Asperger's Syndrome. The most positive thing I can say about this movie is the ending, which sort of makes you guessing and without that ending the movie would have been below average. It's a tender film, but nothing remarkable. On a positive note, I guess I gained some knowledge on Asperger's Syndrome and the effects of it until watching this.
6.2/10
6.2/10
"Adam" is one of the best written films of its kind
napierslogs5 July 2010
The adjectives used to market "Adam" include: romantic, funny, delightful, poignant, uplifting, humorous. I have to disagree with most of those, especially: funny, humorous and delightful. A comedy it is not.
But that's not to say that it isn't good. It's actually quite good. "Adam" is a tumultuous romantic relationship story centered on a young man with Asberger's syndrome. The main characters are Adam (Hugh Dancy), his love interest Beth (Rose Byrne), her father (Peter Gallagher), her mother (Amy Irving) and Adam's guardian (Frankie Faison). Each of these characters have their own story line which perfectly complements the main story. All of the characters have been vividly painted with complexity, emotion, and authenticity.
This is one of the most complete films in terms of quality of writing, direction, and overall superb technical film-making.
Of the adjectives to describe "Adam" I would use: genuine, sentimental, and heartbreaking. It is one of the best written films of its kind, but loses stars because of mis-marketing. It's not even close to a romantic comedy, perhaps it's a romantic drama if it can even be categorized.
But that's not to say that it isn't good. It's actually quite good. "Adam" is a tumultuous romantic relationship story centered on a young man with Asberger's syndrome. The main characters are Adam (Hugh Dancy), his love interest Beth (Rose Byrne), her father (Peter Gallagher), her mother (Amy Irving) and Adam's guardian (Frankie Faison). Each of these characters have their own story line which perfectly complements the main story. All of the characters have been vividly painted with complexity, emotion, and authenticity.
This is one of the most complete films in terms of quality of writing, direction, and overall superb technical film-making.
Of the adjectives to describe "Adam" I would use: genuine, sentimental, and heartbreaking. It is one of the best written films of its kind, but loses stars because of mis-marketing. It's not even close to a romantic comedy, perhaps it's a romantic drama if it can even be categorized.
Biased review by an autistic
violet_raven29 April 2021
So, I watched this movie with my autistic ex, before I knew I was autistic myself. My review is biased because I was trying the whole time to understand the motivations of the female character, Beth, and I found her to be completely incomprehensible. Fast forward a few years, and I realise it's because she's the Neurotypical in the relationship, so of course her motivations and actions are incomprehensible to me.
Adam's role was played fantastically, there were several points that moved me to tears. Particularly the scene where he hears Beth at the door, asking him to come out, but even though he wants to, he can't. It was a perfect prtrayal of social anxiety.
The only reason I don't rate it much higher is because it was also cringey in parts to watch and I found it uncomfortable. I don't like the feeling of watching people do socially awkward things and feel painful empathy on their behalf; it's like watching all of my social faux pas played out on screen. It's not a bad movie, I think objectively it was done very well, I just didn't personally like everything about it.
It is a decent portrayal of male autism. For an excellent portrayal of female autism watch Please Stand By, and for a perfect visual expression of pattern matching watch Temple Grandin, particularly the scenes with the wallpaper and the spoons.
There were, however, a few things about this movie that I feel were irresponsible on the part of the film makers.
The movie implies that it is too difficult for autistic people to have relationships. Yes, it's difficult in different ways than it would be for neurotypicals, but I don't like the way they choose to show that. I also just really didn't like how Beth insinuated herself in Adam's life for no apparent reason (that I could understand). I feel that for an autistic audience her motivations could have been explained somehow, because she was a bit baffling. I also worry that if this is the only movie anyone sees about autism, it gives a bit of an off perspective. The dialogue in the scenes with the racoons made me uncomfortable. We're not all that weird.
I do like that it showed an autistic who was able to work with correct accommodations in place, and when those were taken away he struggled. I liked that they showed how he was able to come up with creative solutions to problems, even though those were not the same ones an NT would have. I like that they showed him info-dumping at a party (when you talk at length about your special subject of interest because it's something you feel comfortable with because small-talk is too complicated to navigate) and his avoidance of eye contact.
I feel like I'm being mean to rate it so low, you know what I'll put it up to an 8. It is a really good film, like I said, I just don't like it. I hated Beth so I had no female protagonist to relate to and from memory (I saw it in about 2015 and don't intend to watch it again) I don't think it passes the Bechdel Test. Nah, you know what I'm leaving it at a 7.
That's my personal, subjective vote. I liked it better than Mary and Max, anyway.
Adam's role was played fantastically, there were several points that moved me to tears. Particularly the scene where he hears Beth at the door, asking him to come out, but even though he wants to, he can't. It was a perfect prtrayal of social anxiety.
The only reason I don't rate it much higher is because it was also cringey in parts to watch and I found it uncomfortable. I don't like the feeling of watching people do socially awkward things and feel painful empathy on their behalf; it's like watching all of my social faux pas played out on screen. It's not a bad movie, I think objectively it was done very well, I just didn't personally like everything about it.
It is a decent portrayal of male autism. For an excellent portrayal of female autism watch Please Stand By, and for a perfect visual expression of pattern matching watch Temple Grandin, particularly the scenes with the wallpaper and the spoons.
There were, however, a few things about this movie that I feel were irresponsible on the part of the film makers.
The movie implies that it is too difficult for autistic people to have relationships. Yes, it's difficult in different ways than it would be for neurotypicals, but I don't like the way they choose to show that. I also just really didn't like how Beth insinuated herself in Adam's life for no apparent reason (that I could understand). I feel that for an autistic audience her motivations could have been explained somehow, because she was a bit baffling. I also worry that if this is the only movie anyone sees about autism, it gives a bit of an off perspective. The dialogue in the scenes with the racoons made me uncomfortable. We're not all that weird.
I do like that it showed an autistic who was able to work with correct accommodations in place, and when those were taken away he struggled. I liked that they showed how he was able to come up with creative solutions to problems, even though those were not the same ones an NT would have. I like that they showed him info-dumping at a party (when you talk at length about your special subject of interest because it's something you feel comfortable with because small-talk is too complicated to navigate) and his avoidance of eye contact.
I feel like I'm being mean to rate it so low, you know what I'll put it up to an 8. It is a really good film, like I said, I just don't like it. I hated Beth so I had no female protagonist to relate to and from memory (I saw it in about 2015 and don't intend to watch it again) I don't think it passes the Bechdel Test. Nah, you know what I'm leaving it at a 7.
That's my personal, subjective vote. I liked it better than Mary and Max, anyway.
Astronomical Adam
cheryllynecox-130 August 2009
Fresh and tangy, "Adam" is not your typical summer romance. The comedy emerges naturally from the situations that surround two appealing characters who develop a sweet, slightly complicated relationship. The acting is strong, especially Hugh Dancy's characterization of the title character. Rose Byrn as Beth is as easy to watch as she is easy to like.
I liked writer and director Max Mayer's ideas. Other people might have used a broader brush, but Mayer's narrative develops a simple momentum and a believable conclusion. Mayer avoids deliberate gags or gag-reflex resolution, and creates a film that is tender and very pretty. Adding to "Adam"'s appeal was the astronomy motif with its layers of stars, planets and pulsars. I thought the metaphor linking the the universe's creation to the distance that separates objects in space was particularly resonant, and I encourage people to pay attention to shooting stars.
I liked writer and director Max Mayer's ideas. Other people might have used a broader brush, but Mayer's narrative develops a simple momentum and a believable conclusion. Mayer avoids deliberate gags or gag-reflex resolution, and creates a film that is tender and very pretty. Adding to "Adam"'s appeal was the astronomy motif with its layers of stars, planets and pulsars. I thought the metaphor linking the the universe's creation to the distance that separates objects in space was particularly resonant, and I encourage people to pay attention to shooting stars.
Tender, but unremarkable
Miakmynov12 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
For me, the best thing about this film was the ending, because it avoided any clichéd and formulaic reunion. I don't know much about aspergers so can't comment on the accuracy of the portrayal, but I came out feeling that I'd learnt something about the condition, and felt both touched and moved by Hugh Dancy's depiction. The other lead, Rose Byrne, behaved convincingly as if she was in a relationship with him, and highlighted the old dilemma that to differing degrees, we all make our choices in this life in the knowledge that we can't have it all. For Beth, she would have had the stability and security she craved in a relationship, but the lack of reciprocated empathy proved a bridge too far.
I could see why the father-daughter sub-plot was integral to the story, from a 'nobody's perfect' sense of comparison...although I found myself a little irritated by it, as it detracted from the main themes and took up too much air time. The film has all the ingredients of a commercial success, and I left the cinema thinking 'tender but unremarkable'. 6/10.
I could see why the father-daughter sub-plot was integral to the story, from a 'nobody's perfect' sense of comparison...although I found myself a little irritated by it, as it detracted from the main themes and took up too much air time. The film has all the ingredients of a commercial success, and I left the cinema thinking 'tender but unremarkable'. 6/10.
Average
christophe9230018 October 2012
Adam is a movie that has some good points. The acting is pretty good, especially Hugh Dancy's that made a good job at portraying Adam trough a whole range of emotions. The direction is also pretty good, simple yet effective, with no editing mistakes.
But the real flaw of this film is its scenario. It lacks substance and density, a strong captivating plot. Ultimately the movie feels kind of superficial, under-developed and a bit too conventional, still it manages to unfold smoothly.
The ending was a non happy one which is always interesting, but it left me a bit unsatisfied though I wouldn't be able to explain why.
An average movie overall.
But the real flaw of this film is its scenario. It lacks substance and density, a strong captivating plot. Ultimately the movie feels kind of superficial, under-developed and a bit too conventional, still it manages to unfold smoothly.
The ending was a non happy one which is always interesting, but it left me a bit unsatisfied though I wouldn't be able to explain why.
An average movie overall.
Heart-warming with a dry sense of humour always steeped in refrained melancholy,
Otoboke14 August 2009
Somewhere above the clear skies of a disquieted New York skyline, some hundreds of billions of miles away there are stars and galaxies, clusters of light and unknowable beauty speeding away not only from us but from themselves. Eventually it will get to the point where all is inevitably lost, and the skies will be filled with an overwhelming black; nothingness and desolate loneliness for a heaven and a barren, sun-scorched planet for a home. "That's kind of
sad" says one character. "Sad?" repeats the nonplussed hobbyist-cosmologist before turning off his home-brew planetarium. Somewhere within one of these small gatherings of light lies New York itself, and in its central park dwell two harmless furry creatures known as Racoons. In the middle of a giant city, these little guys don't necessarily belong but they just happen to be there anyway—coming out at night and playing in their own peaceful isolation when the city closes one eye for the night. This somewhat romantic dualism of being torn apart from where you should be and ending up in world quite different from where you naturally belong is the glue that binds pages of Adam's story together. Brought into melancholic focus through characters, relationships, the nuances of ordinary life and a vast array of simplistic but nevertheless heart-warming sentiments through photography and music, Adam is a humbled and interesting take on love seen through the eyes of a fellow who—like those racoons—isn't quite where he ought to be.
A gifted an ostensibly neurotic figure, Adam (Hugh Dancy) is a smart, intelligent and insightful guy-next-door type who day-to-spotlessly-repetitive-day tries to overcome his disability in order to fit in with those he shares his city-life with. As is found out late into the first act of the feature, Adam is affected by Asperger's syndrome; a condition which often means that he cannot by any means tell what other people are thinking simply by reading their faces, body language or figurative words. Instead Adam relies on honesty and literal meaning; without this, he is lost, and to many this in turn makes him out to be a naïve child-like inconvenience. All this comes into play most dramatically however when a new neighbour, Beth (Rose Byrne), moves in above Adam's apartment. Unable to quite go about his attraction to Beth in conventional manners (at one point directly asking if she was "sexually excited because I was."), romantic life it seems isn't about to blow any sympathy points in Adam's direction. After a series of quirky encounters involving Adam's love for space and a particularly intense sequence where he avoids going out with Beth out of fear, the relationship takes its turns and develops slowly but surely into an engaging piece of alternative romance. The result is an interesting look into a convoluted form of love from a different perspective that questions the sometimes trivial dos and don'ts of adult relationships when brought to Adam's plate.
In a way, the movie echoes recent features such as The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry and last year's Lars and the Real Girl in that it pushes the "disability" of its lead character to be the central point of its narrative rather than fleeting romance. Sure enough, Adam is by no means a saint—he's simply different, and Mayer does well to always restate Adam's humanity despite his disability; this is no mawkish weepy or over-sentimental caricature painting. Like those features mentioned above however, Adam hits the proverbial nail on the head when it comes to dishing out moments of pathos anyway; there's light-hearted, whimsy comedy here; genuine, well-developed characterisation; and romance with drama that feels slightly romanticised but not at the extent of its characters and themes. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine audiences being more than slightly moved by Adam and Beth's somewhat troubled circumstances and this is much to the film's credit in that it plays as a character-piece but feels like a traditional romantic drama without sacrificing the former's traits.
Of course with a feature such as this, it would be easy to pile on the sentiment too heavily resulting in a mawkish and tawdry handkerchief-fest steeped in melodrama but thankfully this is not the case. Instead, Adam is cemented in place with an extremely engaging performance by leading man Hugh Dancy offset with a warm, feminine portrayal by Byrne. The chemistry between the two is as palpable as director Mayer obviously intended, which is kind of refrained in between the back-and-forth nature of Adam and Beth's perceptions of each other. So while not falling for the traditional, formaliac techniques of your average romance, Meyer nevertheless crafts something genuine and real for his characters. At times their romance is sweet and whimsical, at others frantic and awkward—such is one of Adam's biggest strengths. This of course will disgruntle some audiences upon which the story's conclusion should bear no redeeming fruit, but for those looking for something a little different there nevertheless remains a certain bittersweet sense of integrity about the story that remains consistent right through to the end. It's by no means a perfect tale, no, but for what it's worth, there's undoubtedly a whole lot of interesting qualities to Adam's plight here that take on a life of their own in the truest sense of the phrase.
Heart-warming with a dry sense of humour always steeped in refrained melancholy, Adam is an impressive and oft moving tale brought to life with memorable performances and a bittersweet account of love and its entwined complexities.
A gifted an ostensibly neurotic figure, Adam (Hugh Dancy) is a smart, intelligent and insightful guy-next-door type who day-to-spotlessly-repetitive-day tries to overcome his disability in order to fit in with those he shares his city-life with. As is found out late into the first act of the feature, Adam is affected by Asperger's syndrome; a condition which often means that he cannot by any means tell what other people are thinking simply by reading their faces, body language or figurative words. Instead Adam relies on honesty and literal meaning; without this, he is lost, and to many this in turn makes him out to be a naïve child-like inconvenience. All this comes into play most dramatically however when a new neighbour, Beth (Rose Byrne), moves in above Adam's apartment. Unable to quite go about his attraction to Beth in conventional manners (at one point directly asking if she was "sexually excited because I was."), romantic life it seems isn't about to blow any sympathy points in Adam's direction. After a series of quirky encounters involving Adam's love for space and a particularly intense sequence where he avoids going out with Beth out of fear, the relationship takes its turns and develops slowly but surely into an engaging piece of alternative romance. The result is an interesting look into a convoluted form of love from a different perspective that questions the sometimes trivial dos and don'ts of adult relationships when brought to Adam's plate.
In a way, the movie echoes recent features such as The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry and last year's Lars and the Real Girl in that it pushes the "disability" of its lead character to be the central point of its narrative rather than fleeting romance. Sure enough, Adam is by no means a saint—he's simply different, and Mayer does well to always restate Adam's humanity despite his disability; this is no mawkish weepy or over-sentimental caricature painting. Like those features mentioned above however, Adam hits the proverbial nail on the head when it comes to dishing out moments of pathos anyway; there's light-hearted, whimsy comedy here; genuine, well-developed characterisation; and romance with drama that feels slightly romanticised but not at the extent of its characters and themes. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine audiences being more than slightly moved by Adam and Beth's somewhat troubled circumstances and this is much to the film's credit in that it plays as a character-piece but feels like a traditional romantic drama without sacrificing the former's traits.
Of course with a feature such as this, it would be easy to pile on the sentiment too heavily resulting in a mawkish and tawdry handkerchief-fest steeped in melodrama but thankfully this is not the case. Instead, Adam is cemented in place with an extremely engaging performance by leading man Hugh Dancy offset with a warm, feminine portrayal by Byrne. The chemistry between the two is as palpable as director Mayer obviously intended, which is kind of refrained in between the back-and-forth nature of Adam and Beth's perceptions of each other. So while not falling for the traditional, formaliac techniques of your average romance, Meyer nevertheless crafts something genuine and real for his characters. At times their romance is sweet and whimsical, at others frantic and awkward—such is one of Adam's biggest strengths. This of course will disgruntle some audiences upon which the story's conclusion should bear no redeeming fruit, but for those looking for something a little different there nevertheless remains a certain bittersweet sense of integrity about the story that remains consistent right through to the end. It's by no means a perfect tale, no, but for what it's worth, there's undoubtedly a whole lot of interesting qualities to Adam's plight here that take on a life of their own in the truest sense of the phrase.
Heart-warming with a dry sense of humour always steeped in refrained melancholy, Adam is an impressive and oft moving tale brought to life with memorable performances and a bittersweet account of love and its entwined complexities.
- A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)
A quirky romantic comedy
wmjaho29 January 2009
You won't find traditional romantic comedies at Sundance. But quirky romantic comedies were in this year. And how much quirkier can you get than Adam, where the male lead (Hugh Dancy) has Asperger's Syndrome (like a mild, high-functional form of autism) and the female lead (Rose Byrne) is a hot and seemingly normal babe? And that's the movieAdam is very nice but extremely weird, socially awkward, prone to erratic behavior and a societal misfit, and Beth is everything you'd want in a woman.
(This should provide a ray of hope for all the geeky guys fantasizing about a beautiful, charming and good-hearted woman falling in love with them one day. I can hear it now: "If Beth can fall for Adam, then why not me? After all, he has Asperger's and all I've got is this little hygiene problem, plus my two-room Star Wars collection.")
The movie opens with the death of Adam's father. We follow him to work, where he is writing microchip software for toys and fixated on creating interesting functionality while his boss simply wants to cut costs. He stays in the apartment he had shared with his dad, eating the same meals every day, sitting in the same chair, and following his established routines until Rose moves into the building. Adam falls in love, in his obsessive way. Rose is attracted to Adam, but naturally wary. And things proceed from there, as they work out their relationship while enduring painfully awkward physical contacts and even more pain and awkwardness meeting the friends and parents, and ultimately well, you've got to see the film. But for my money, the ending was the best part.
Adam is a cute, mildly entertaining movie, with laughs and smiles despite a less than polished script. Both Dancy and Byrne give fine performances, and veteran actors Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving are quite good as Beth's parents. Written and directed by Max Mayer, it was picked up at Sundance by Fox Searchlight and will likely be released in 2009.
(This should provide a ray of hope for all the geeky guys fantasizing about a beautiful, charming and good-hearted woman falling in love with them one day. I can hear it now: "If Beth can fall for Adam, then why not me? After all, he has Asperger's and all I've got is this little hygiene problem, plus my two-room Star Wars collection.")
The movie opens with the death of Adam's father. We follow him to work, where he is writing microchip software for toys and fixated on creating interesting functionality while his boss simply wants to cut costs. He stays in the apartment he had shared with his dad, eating the same meals every day, sitting in the same chair, and following his established routines until Rose moves into the building. Adam falls in love, in his obsessive way. Rose is attracted to Adam, but naturally wary. And things proceed from there, as they work out their relationship while enduring painfully awkward physical contacts and even more pain and awkwardness meeting the friends and parents, and ultimately well, you've got to see the film. But for my money, the ending was the best part.
Adam is a cute, mildly entertaining movie, with laughs and smiles despite a less than polished script. Both Dancy and Byrne give fine performances, and veteran actors Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving are quite good as Beth's parents. Written and directed by Max Mayer, it was picked up at Sundance by Fox Searchlight and will likely be released in 2009.
Excellent
Dan-Mika2 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
As an adult with Aspergers, the movie was almost painful to watch in its reality. The scene where he doesn't go out with Beth and her friends. When he asks her if she wants sex (we are so used to misreading other people's non-verbal communication that you get in the habit of asking about those kind of things). His literal honesty with Beth. What losing his father and his job does to him. How unexpected change just blows his world apart. A very accurate picture of how we live, and how things affect us differently than the "normal" population.
My wife was sad when Adam and Beth broke up when he went out to California. My response was, "They ended up back together". The reason Adam said he HAD to go out to California by himself was because he had to show Beth that he COULD make it without her, he just didn't WANT to. That was something that he didn't know how to verbalize. And, if she truly understood him, she would then realize that, and come out to California.
When people ask me what Asperger's is like, all I do is tell them to watch this movie.
My wife was sad when Adam and Beth broke up when he went out to California. My response was, "They ended up back together". The reason Adam said he HAD to go out to California by himself was because he had to show Beth that he COULD make it without her, he just didn't WANT to. That was something that he didn't know how to verbalize. And, if she truly understood him, she would then realize that, and come out to California.
When people ask me what Asperger's is like, all I do is tell them to watch this movie.
Good but ultimately disappointing
dmasursky14 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I liked this movie a lot, for all the reasons that have been so ably stated in the many user reviews that I read - great performances, sensitive and realistic portrayal of Asperger's, etc etc. I would have given it a higher rating, but ultimately I thought the movie was frustrating and unsatisfying.
**SPOLIER ALERT** I thought the movie ended up being quite inconsistent with it's own stated philosophy: at the beginning of the movie, Beth says that she learned everything about love from Adam, and later says, quoting her father, that loving is more important that feeling loved. But the movie resolved the relationship between Beth and Adam in the exact opposite way - she decided that she did not "feel loved" by Adam enough to join him in California, and the type of love that he offered was not enough for her. I'm not saying that's inauthentic for the character or the situation, only that it's not what the movie told us it was going to be about. I don't need a "happily ever after" ending, I just want the movie to be true to it's own stated philosophy of life. I was particularly surprised that Beth chose to end her relationship with Adam, as she had been encouraged to do by her father. I felt like the audience was supposed to think the father was wrong about Adam, the same way that he was wrong about other things.
I liked the movie and I liked the relationship between Beth and Adam, and the way it developed, but I thought the ending was ridiculous. I thought it was surprising and unrealistic that Adam moves to California and gets settled without any help at all. I also thought it was unlikely that he would understand what Beth meant by writing the children's book about him. I felt like the rug got pulled out from under me, and I was left scratching my head over the message of this movie.
I think Maze, about a man with Tourette's, and Dedication, about a man with OCD, were both more interesting and more satisfying portrayals of "troubled" men falling in love with "normal" women.
One more thing, which I feel compelled to mention - why was Rose's father Jewish? The family's religion serves no purpose in the larger story (the way it does in, say, Liberty Heights), and the father's character is shown to be deeply flawed, in both business and his personal affairs. So making him Jewish, frankly, seems to just affirm a stereotype about greedy businessmen. I was a bit offended by this, and it affected the way I felt about an otherwise lovely film which addresses an important issue.
**SPOLIER ALERT** I thought the movie ended up being quite inconsistent with it's own stated philosophy: at the beginning of the movie, Beth says that she learned everything about love from Adam, and later says, quoting her father, that loving is more important that feeling loved. But the movie resolved the relationship between Beth and Adam in the exact opposite way - she decided that she did not "feel loved" by Adam enough to join him in California, and the type of love that he offered was not enough for her. I'm not saying that's inauthentic for the character or the situation, only that it's not what the movie told us it was going to be about. I don't need a "happily ever after" ending, I just want the movie to be true to it's own stated philosophy of life. I was particularly surprised that Beth chose to end her relationship with Adam, as she had been encouraged to do by her father. I felt like the audience was supposed to think the father was wrong about Adam, the same way that he was wrong about other things.
I liked the movie and I liked the relationship between Beth and Adam, and the way it developed, but I thought the ending was ridiculous. I thought it was surprising and unrealistic that Adam moves to California and gets settled without any help at all. I also thought it was unlikely that he would understand what Beth meant by writing the children's book about him. I felt like the rug got pulled out from under me, and I was left scratching my head over the message of this movie.
I think Maze, about a man with Tourette's, and Dedication, about a man with OCD, were both more interesting and more satisfying portrayals of "troubled" men falling in love with "normal" women.
One more thing, which I feel compelled to mention - why was Rose's father Jewish? The family's religion serves no purpose in the larger story (the way it does in, say, Liberty Heights), and the father's character is shown to be deeply flawed, in both business and his personal affairs. So making him Jewish, frankly, seems to just affirm a stereotype about greedy businessmen. I was a bit offended by this, and it affected the way I felt about an otherwise lovely film which addresses an important issue.
Good movie referencing the topic of Aspergers
Klaaatu29 December 2009
Having a son-in-law that has Aspergers symptoms, I found the movie to be quite realistic in a non-Hollywood way. It didn't stoop to many of the clichés that several movies trying to tackle this subject fell into.
The lead actor did a great job portraying the attitude and personality of someone with Aspergers. His portrayal was quite well done, and accurate to real life situations He obviously did his homework when researching the character and the side effects of Aspergers syndrome.
Unfortunately, I found the lead female character (and the script components related to this character) to be less than believable. My personal opinion is that people with Aspergers syndrome tend to have a lack of empathy for other people (as portrayed in this movie), so it requires someone with extra empathy and forgiveness to be able to understand and relate to them (unless of course the partner has Aspergers themselves, which helps them understand and relate to the other person).
She didn't portray herself as an overly empathetic person, especially when dealing with her father's problems. Most children would be empathetic to their own parents first and foremost. She seemed to be forgiving of the lead characters flaws, but didn't really show a lot of emotion during the tense situations and unusual circumstances that cropped up.
Other than that, I thought it was a very good movie touching on this subject. If it weren't for the weak script and the issues with the lead female characterization, I would have given it a 10.
The lead actor did a great job portraying the attitude and personality of someone with Aspergers. His portrayal was quite well done, and accurate to real life situations He obviously did his homework when researching the character and the side effects of Aspergers syndrome.
Unfortunately, I found the lead female character (and the script components related to this character) to be less than believable. My personal opinion is that people with Aspergers syndrome tend to have a lack of empathy for other people (as portrayed in this movie), so it requires someone with extra empathy and forgiveness to be able to understand and relate to them (unless of course the partner has Aspergers themselves, which helps them understand and relate to the other person).
She didn't portray herself as an overly empathetic person, especially when dealing with her father's problems. Most children would be empathetic to their own parents first and foremost. She seemed to be forgiving of the lead characters flaws, but didn't really show a lot of emotion during the tense situations and unusual circumstances that cropped up.
Other than that, I thought it was a very good movie touching on this subject. If it weren't for the weak script and the issues with the lead female characterization, I would have given it a 10.
Beautiful Portrayal of A Misunderstood Disability
bdgill1213 July 2011
Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy) is a 30 year old man with Asberger's Syndrome. Having recently lost his father and his job, Adam's life is thrown into the kind of flux anyone would struggle with. Things begin to change for Adam, however, when Beth (Rose Byrne), a socialite from a wealthy background, moves into his apartment building. The unlikely pair strike up a friendship that quickly evolves into a romance that neither of them (or Beth's family) are quite prepared for.
My real life has almost always involved working with kids in some capacity. Often times those kids fell somewhere on the Autism spectrum and I've taken a special interest in those kiddos. Some of them have been insanely difficult and frustrating to manage but many of the most memorable kids I've had ever the chance to work with. I have a special place in my heart for those with Autism, Asperger's, and the like. Very rarely, however, do you see the reality of these afflictions properly displayed in a movie. More often than not an autistic character just leaves me shaking my head.
Thankfully, "Adam" is one of those rare films. Dancy captures the essence of what it means to have high functioning Asperger's in his speech, mannerisms, and behaviors and gives the syndrome a likable if tortured face. Most importantly, Adam never crosses the line between Asperger's and retardation. Perhaps that's an indistinguishable difference for some people but anyone who's ever known an Aspy can tell you what a distinct difference it really is. Adam's affliction is more of a learning disability (really, more of a different way of learning for many) combined with severe social anxiety and an inability to read social cues. Dancy combines these traits wonderfully and his performance truly carries the film.
If the other characters surrounding Adam or the story in which he finds himself were half as well-crafted as the title character, this movie would have soared into my "Favorites" list. But while Adam is a near perfect picture of a very complicated sect of the population, the rest of the characters are extremely two dimensional. Byrne and the rest of the cast all do a serviceable job of bringing life to the screen but unfortunately there just isn't a great deal to work with. The story starts out strong but as the film progresses, it begins to falter and finally finds itself trudging through the Land of Generic, resting on the obligatory "disapproving parent" plot line that's been done a million times. It's unfortunate that the surrounding parts of the movie can't match up to Dancy's brilliance but that said, it's still an outstanding look at an often misunderstood disability and more than worth a viewing.
My site: www.thesoapboxoffice.blogspot.com
My real life has almost always involved working with kids in some capacity. Often times those kids fell somewhere on the Autism spectrum and I've taken a special interest in those kiddos. Some of them have been insanely difficult and frustrating to manage but many of the most memorable kids I've had ever the chance to work with. I have a special place in my heart for those with Autism, Asperger's, and the like. Very rarely, however, do you see the reality of these afflictions properly displayed in a movie. More often than not an autistic character just leaves me shaking my head.
Thankfully, "Adam" is one of those rare films. Dancy captures the essence of what it means to have high functioning Asperger's in his speech, mannerisms, and behaviors and gives the syndrome a likable if tortured face. Most importantly, Adam never crosses the line between Asperger's and retardation. Perhaps that's an indistinguishable difference for some people but anyone who's ever known an Aspy can tell you what a distinct difference it really is. Adam's affliction is more of a learning disability (really, more of a different way of learning for many) combined with severe social anxiety and an inability to read social cues. Dancy combines these traits wonderfully and his performance truly carries the film.
If the other characters surrounding Adam or the story in which he finds himself were half as well-crafted as the title character, this movie would have soared into my "Favorites" list. But while Adam is a near perfect picture of a very complicated sect of the population, the rest of the characters are extremely two dimensional. Byrne and the rest of the cast all do a serviceable job of bringing life to the screen but unfortunately there just isn't a great deal to work with. The story starts out strong but as the film progresses, it begins to falter and finally finds itself trudging through the Land of Generic, resting on the obligatory "disapproving parent" plot line that's been done a million times. It's unfortunate that the surrounding parts of the movie can't match up to Dancy's brilliance but that said, it's still an outstanding look at an often misunderstood disability and more than worth a viewing.
My site: www.thesoapboxoffice.blogspot.com
Wow--this is a GREAT film!
planktonrules30 January 2014
A long time ago, I was a social worker and then a family therapist. Later, I taught psychology. During the course of this, I worked with a few folks with Autism spectrum disorders--including Asperger's Syndrome. Now I am NOT an expert but know enough by teaching about it, knowing folks with it (including a few of my students) and reading up on it to know whether or not a film that deals with this topic gets it right or wrong. It was because of this background I was excited to watch "Adam"--to see if I finally found a film that got it right. This is because although a lot of folks on the internet talk about this disorder (and many claim to have it--though in most cases this seems to be done to excuse boorish behavior) but few folks REALLY understand what it is. I sure wish I'd had this film available to me when I was teaching--it sure would have provided a nice example for my students.
I won't spend a lot of time discussing what Asperger's is--though it would make sense to briefly explain it. People with Asperger's are generally quite normal. However, they are socially inept--having great difficulty picking up on normal social cues, understanding polite conversation and relating to people in a healthy manner. It's as if they are socially retarded--generally unable to understand nuances, metaphors or things such as sarcasm or inferences. But, on the other hand, intellectually (aside from the social aspects) they are very normal and even sometimes brilliant. They are also incredibly literal in their thinking and speech. For someone to build a relationship with an individual like this is possible...though it certainly poses challenges.
Adam (Hugh Dancy) is a nice young man who lives alone and works with computers and loves astronomy. He happens to strike up a conversation with his neighbor, Beth (Rose Byrne) and slowly they become friends. But, early on, it's obvious to Beth that there is something wrong with Adam. When he tells her he was diagnosed with Asperger's, she learns more about him--such as how to interact with him as well as his social shortcomings. And, despite this problem, she learns to love him and vice-versa. The movie then unfolds--and addresses the unspoken salient point--is loving a person enough when you're in a relationship?
The writer/director of this film is Max Mayer. It's obvious that Max either knows someone with the diagnosis or he really, really did his homework. The film very accurately portrays someone with these life challenges--and Hugh Dancy was amazing in the film--simply amazing. I also really, really appreciated how the movie did NOT simply give way to sentiment or stuff itself with clichés, film formula or false nobility. Realism and integrity of the characters is what made this film really work for me.
If you do see this exceptional film (and I strongly recommend you do), a couple things I noticed that you may also like are Dancy's amazing performance which includes no trace of his British accent (as well as Byrne's Aussie accent) as well as the cute scene with Beth reading to her young students. The way the little kids talked about "The Emperor's New Clothes"--and how some just didn't get it at all--was very realistic. Apparently, Mayer also really understands kids and child development! What a great film--and one of the few movies where I have NOTHING negative to say about it!
I loved how Dancy said in the making of for this film "He's not just a syndrome...he's a guy....". THAT is what makes this film so special.
I won't spend a lot of time discussing what Asperger's is--though it would make sense to briefly explain it. People with Asperger's are generally quite normal. However, they are socially inept--having great difficulty picking up on normal social cues, understanding polite conversation and relating to people in a healthy manner. It's as if they are socially retarded--generally unable to understand nuances, metaphors or things such as sarcasm or inferences. But, on the other hand, intellectually (aside from the social aspects) they are very normal and even sometimes brilliant. They are also incredibly literal in their thinking and speech. For someone to build a relationship with an individual like this is possible...though it certainly poses challenges.
Adam (Hugh Dancy) is a nice young man who lives alone and works with computers and loves astronomy. He happens to strike up a conversation with his neighbor, Beth (Rose Byrne) and slowly they become friends. But, early on, it's obvious to Beth that there is something wrong with Adam. When he tells her he was diagnosed with Asperger's, she learns more about him--such as how to interact with him as well as his social shortcomings. And, despite this problem, she learns to love him and vice-versa. The movie then unfolds--and addresses the unspoken salient point--is loving a person enough when you're in a relationship?
The writer/director of this film is Max Mayer. It's obvious that Max either knows someone with the diagnosis or he really, really did his homework. The film very accurately portrays someone with these life challenges--and Hugh Dancy was amazing in the film--simply amazing. I also really, really appreciated how the movie did NOT simply give way to sentiment or stuff itself with clichés, film formula or false nobility. Realism and integrity of the characters is what made this film really work for me.
If you do see this exceptional film (and I strongly recommend you do), a couple things I noticed that you may also like are Dancy's amazing performance which includes no trace of his British accent (as well as Byrne's Aussie accent) as well as the cute scene with Beth reading to her young students. The way the little kids talked about "The Emperor's New Clothes"--and how some just didn't get it at all--was very realistic. Apparently, Mayer also really understands kids and child development! What a great film--and one of the few movies where I have NOTHING negative to say about it!
I loved how Dancy said in the making of for this film "He's not just a syndrome...he's a guy....". THAT is what makes this film so special.
Autistic heart
fablesofthereconstru-112 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Adam(Hugh Dancy) first meets Beth(Rose Byrne) outside the laundry room of their apartment complex. They "meet cute". Startled by this variation to his regimented routine, Adam freezes, and retreats from the chaos that portends ahead. It's plain to see the man is socially awkward, but he seems harmless enough. There's something about Adam which makes Beth stop and consider, for the time being, the time it takes to do the wash, at least, that her neighbor might be "relationship material". Adam lets her use his laundry card. They do their laundry; they meet cute, which orientates the moviegoer to the inception of love that begets the love story in a romantic comedy. Due to the particular condition of the protagonist, however, the mechanics of the genre can't be taken for granted, becomes complicated, since there's an uncertainty about the man's ability to reciprocate romantic love. Contrary to his asexual exterior, Adam, who is afflicted with Asberger's Syndrome, owns a collection of pornographic DVDs, a seemingly disparate aspect in his pathologically tidy closet, because he seems too remote to be interested in sex. Does he have a love life, albeit with himself? The film suggests that he does. Seated at the dinner table with his laptop, Adam introduces Julia Roberts along with James Lipton on "Inside the Actors Studio", word for word, and then he drops a piece of macaroni and cheese in his lap, possibly near his crotch. He looks down at the stain, guiltily: a metaphor, perhaps, for the fantasies he has of Ms. Roberts. Adam understands a base emotion such as lust. But "Adam" never proves that its titular star understands love. So when Adam first meets Beth in the very next scene, the "meet cute" becomes less cute, if loveless lust is what lies beneath his impenetrable facade.
Adam needs a mother, somebody to nurture him, not a lover, since he's more child than man. Beth is perfect, too perfect, as if she was written for him. Coming off a bad relationship with a philandering boyfriend(and increasingly irked by her overbearing father), Beth seems prime for a situation where she's firmly in control and can call all the shots. Moreover, she's a teacher at a fancy private grammar school. At this school, Beth asks a colleague about Asbergers, and the colleague tells her that people like Adam are high-functioning austistics. The colleague should be more blunt when Beth goes fishing for an endorsement of her new embarkation. She should translate "high-functioning autistic" in layman's terms. Beth's new lover, in all likelihood, has the same emotional development as the children she teaches. "Adam" tries to portray an unconventional couple(in the vein of Jeremiah Chechik's "Benny and Joon", just to name one), but it takes two misfits to be truly winsome. Beth is normal, and should know better. Beth's father misses the point entirely when he lectures his daughter about the cons of getting involved with Adam. While he's right that his daughter's most unlikely suitor presupposes to be a liability for Beth in professional and social circles, the unfeasibility of the relationship is twofold, since she's pushing Adam past the limits of his emotional range. The father doesn't cast a critical eye towards Beth, and to a certain degree, neither does the film. "Adam" privileges Beth through the omission of filmic evidence that would implicate her as an anti-ingenue. Beth errs by getting involved with a, for all intents and purposes, handicapped man, but her transgression is glossed over with judicious editing choices and an unchallenging script. Except for a kiss, a real kiss, their sex life is merely suggested, sequestered beyond the diegesis, in the fade-out, where their writhing bodies make a promise without being judged, in our imaginations. If the filmmaker showed the physical side of their relationship, the scene in which Adam lashes out at Beth over a harmless white lie, would mean something more than just the lie itself. The film hides Adam's sexual immaturity in the tropes of the romantic comedy. Sure, Adam cries, as he tries to get Beth back, but the tear might denote a self-awareness of the deficiency in his emotional reservoir. Most people will read this tear on a simpler level, on a boy loses girl level, and since "Adam" ends on an uncomplicated and hopeful note, the film endorses genre(the romantic comedy) over real life, hence, the tear isn't as knotty as it should be.
Adam needs a mother, somebody to nurture him, not a lover, since he's more child than man. Beth is perfect, too perfect, as if she was written for him. Coming off a bad relationship with a philandering boyfriend(and increasingly irked by her overbearing father), Beth seems prime for a situation where she's firmly in control and can call all the shots. Moreover, she's a teacher at a fancy private grammar school. At this school, Beth asks a colleague about Asbergers, and the colleague tells her that people like Adam are high-functioning austistics. The colleague should be more blunt when Beth goes fishing for an endorsement of her new embarkation. She should translate "high-functioning autistic" in layman's terms. Beth's new lover, in all likelihood, has the same emotional development as the children she teaches. "Adam" tries to portray an unconventional couple(in the vein of Jeremiah Chechik's "Benny and Joon", just to name one), but it takes two misfits to be truly winsome. Beth is normal, and should know better. Beth's father misses the point entirely when he lectures his daughter about the cons of getting involved with Adam. While he's right that his daughter's most unlikely suitor presupposes to be a liability for Beth in professional and social circles, the unfeasibility of the relationship is twofold, since she's pushing Adam past the limits of his emotional range. The father doesn't cast a critical eye towards Beth, and to a certain degree, neither does the film. "Adam" privileges Beth through the omission of filmic evidence that would implicate her as an anti-ingenue. Beth errs by getting involved with a, for all intents and purposes, handicapped man, but her transgression is glossed over with judicious editing choices and an unchallenging script. Except for a kiss, a real kiss, their sex life is merely suggested, sequestered beyond the diegesis, in the fade-out, where their writhing bodies make a promise without being judged, in our imaginations. If the filmmaker showed the physical side of their relationship, the scene in which Adam lashes out at Beth over a harmless white lie, would mean something more than just the lie itself. The film hides Adam's sexual immaturity in the tropes of the romantic comedy. Sure, Adam cries, as he tries to get Beth back, but the tear might denote a self-awareness of the deficiency in his emotional reservoir. Most people will read this tear on a simpler level, on a boy loses girl level, and since "Adam" ends on an uncomplicated and hopeful note, the film endorses genre(the romantic comedy) over real life, hence, the tear isn't as knotty as it should be.
Wonderful film!
satchela30 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I had the privilege of viewing this movie on Tues. night. I was in eager anticipation, as the subject of mental health is a passion of mine.
For me, the movie was bittersweet. We see how Adam grows from a lonely introvert to a sensitive and serious man, who experiences love in spite of his challenges. Whether or not this love works out, is not the issue; it's what Adam learns along the way about life that I feel is beautiful.
The portrayal of Rose's father is so important to the film, in my opinion. We find this so called "normal" person who epitomizes those who are still in fear of a person with mental illness. Buchwald only sees the outside of a person and doesn't really give Adam a chance to show his inner self, talents and strengths. How ironic it is that Mr. Buchwald turns out to be the true "mentally ill" person in the film! Unfortunately, many people in our society still have similar beliefs about those who are "different". By educating people about those who are "challenged", hopefully the stigma of mental illness can be lifted.
This film made me laugh, made me cry and made me think! As far as I am concerned, when a movie has those characteristics, it has been a huge success. I don't know any movie that has moved me like this in a long, long time!
For me, the movie was bittersweet. We see how Adam grows from a lonely introvert to a sensitive and serious man, who experiences love in spite of his challenges. Whether or not this love works out, is not the issue; it's what Adam learns along the way about life that I feel is beautiful.
The portrayal of Rose's father is so important to the film, in my opinion. We find this so called "normal" person who epitomizes those who are still in fear of a person with mental illness. Buchwald only sees the outside of a person and doesn't really give Adam a chance to show his inner self, talents and strengths. How ironic it is that Mr. Buchwald turns out to be the true "mentally ill" person in the film! Unfortunately, many people in our society still have similar beliefs about those who are "different". By educating people about those who are "challenged", hopefully the stigma of mental illness can be lifted.
This film made me laugh, made me cry and made me think! As far as I am concerned, when a movie has those characteristics, it has been a huge success. I don't know any movie that has moved me like this in a long, long time!
The ending is atrocious, as if written by a child.
vivalareaganrevoluti-306-19211 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler Alert. The movie is well written until the last 1/4. It becomes predictable and unoriginal, it neglects to take the movie as far as it should go almost as a means of protecting the hearts of the audience. For the movie to receive a rating higher than a 6 and be deemed a classic, Adam has to die. If he did the movie would be on par with other screenplay masterpieces, but because he doesn't it becomes nothing more than just another decent movie. Don't get me wrong the movie was enjoyable, but the ending just left me slightly upset that Mayer wasn't capable of fully weaving greatness into the conclusion. I recommend the movie, but just don't get your hopes up to be amazed by the ending, because it will let you down.
Terrible movie
Camel137 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Adam is part of an unfortunate trend I'm starting to notice from Hollywood - the trend of the unhappy ending. It is one of those failed romance movies. A movie about a "romance" that ultimately leaves us all alone. It tries miserably to buy us off at the end with the ex-girlfriend sending the ex-boyfriend a book for a present, which he sits and reads all alone on a park bench, with all indications being that he will live and dies all alone, too, because some bad writing in a couple of crucial scenes all but destroyed what will probably be the single chance at companionship this "unattractively" quirky guy gets in his entire life.
The movie makes a passing remark about how many people with asperger's DO get married and have their happily ever after. Why in god's name didn't they make a movie about one of THOSE couples? I normally try to avoid rubbish like this, but due to some misleading advertising, I was under the impression it gave asperger's a chance to show off it's interesting characteristic and to receive a little love from the universe. I was under the impression that for once, a shy guy without that George Clooney-esque cockiness would get the girl of his dreams. I wound up watching it, and without researching it on Wikipedia first. Both these things were huge mistakes. The movie sets you up only to knock you down. It warms your heart only so you don't see the sucker punch waiting for it.
I'd like to make a plea not just to the makers of this movie, but to all of Hollywood. We don't need you to make us miserable, break our hearts and tear down our hopes. That's what real life is for. We come to you for happiness and comfort. We come to you to inspire us, to help us believe that good things can come true - that we can overcome our obstacles and find what it is we're looking for and have it to keep for the rest of our lives.
We don't need you to tell us that the universe severely punishes the weird, for being weird. We don't need you to tell us that the losers are gonna lose. Most of us know all that. And most of us want to be able to believe in a better world. Please, give us that much. You get our $15 for the tickets either way.
The movie makes a passing remark about how many people with asperger's DO get married and have their happily ever after. Why in god's name didn't they make a movie about one of THOSE couples? I normally try to avoid rubbish like this, but due to some misleading advertising, I was under the impression it gave asperger's a chance to show off it's interesting characteristic and to receive a little love from the universe. I was under the impression that for once, a shy guy without that George Clooney-esque cockiness would get the girl of his dreams. I wound up watching it, and without researching it on Wikipedia first. Both these things were huge mistakes. The movie sets you up only to knock you down. It warms your heart only so you don't see the sucker punch waiting for it.
I'd like to make a plea not just to the makers of this movie, but to all of Hollywood. We don't need you to make us miserable, break our hearts and tear down our hopes. That's what real life is for. We come to you for happiness and comfort. We come to you to inspire us, to help us believe that good things can come true - that we can overcome our obstacles and find what it is we're looking for and have it to keep for the rest of our lives.
We don't need you to tell us that the universe severely punishes the weird, for being weird. We don't need you to tell us that the losers are gonna lose. Most of us know all that. And most of us want to be able to believe in a better world. Please, give us that much. You get our $15 for the tickets either way.
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