MOVIE
REVIEW: ADAM

08/20/09

SYNOPSIS: Romance can be risky, perplexing and
filled with the perils of miscommunication - and that's if
you aren't ADAM, for whom life itself is this way. In this
heartfelt romantic comedy, Hugh Dancy (THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK
CLUB, CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC) stars as Adam, a handsome
but intriguing young man who has all his life led a
sheltered existence - until he meets his new neighbor, Beth
(Rose Byrne, "Damages," 28 WEEKS LATER, KNOWING), a
beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman who pulls him into the
outside world, with funny, touching and entirely unexpected
results. Their implausible and enigmatic relationship
reveals just how far two people from different realities can
stretch in search of an extraordinary connection.
REVIEW: I don’t think I’ve used this particular adjective to describe a movie in a while so here it goes . . . charming. Yes, I’ve said it again, but I do think it has been a while. If it hasn’t, I apologize. However, this movie does deserve that adjective. It is also random, but in a different way. It is romantic and cute, but in a different way. What is the difference you ask? Adam (Hugh Dancy) is all the difference along with a fair amount of Beth (Rose Byrne). You see Adam has Asperger’s Syndrome which in brief is like a high-functioning autism. That fact alone makes this romantic comedy/drama different, enjoyable, and yes, charming. Hugh does a fabulous job with his character. It was quite impressive. Of course Rose, as usual, delivers. She is just as adorable as Adam and you might find yourself attached to both characters. The acting is very well done and not over the top. These two are going to continue to grow in their acting careers, I think. The supporting cast was well selected too. Beth’s parents played by Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving as well as Adam’s close friend played by Frankie Faison contributed very nicely to the flow of the film and were great side dishes to this main course. Priscilla was pretty excited about seeing Amy Irving for some reason. She was pretty excited about seeing Peter too actually; something about dark haired, light-eyed men, I don’t know.
Adam is a brilliant human encyclopedia that lacks in what you might call the social skills. He has difficulty making eye contact but he can tell you anything you want to know about telescopes and space; that of course being his number one hobby. He also enjoys a particular activity that Priscilla enjoys as well . . . people watching. I got a kick out of that. But yes, we are such fascinating creatures to study, don’t you think? Adam is right up there on the list of fascinating people to watch. He has his difficulties, but he is a caring and noble person nonetheless. Overall he is the focal point of the story, sure, but it is more than just about Adam or about the Asperger’s. The movie focuses a lot on the relationship between Adam and Beth and really on relationships in general. The movie has a strong human element to it. The script was good but not great. It did have some really funny moments though. Got to give it props for that. My biggest disappointment though is the way the movie ends. I just didn’t like how it ends. It’s probably just me, or maybe not. If you see the movie, please, send me a little email and let me know how you would interpret the ending. Writer/Director Max Mayer has done only one other motion picture as well as some TV work. Taking that into consideration, hey, not bad.
Review By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
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