Hollywood has a habit to over explain situations or diseases to the viewing audience, sometimes it's important and sometimes, well it makes sense only to be used as an plot explanation of sorts. Take "Adam" for example, there is a character in the movie whose sole purpose for being there, is to explain what it is that is wrong with one of the main characters in the movie, and of course they just happen to have a book that deals with this infliction handy. After this one scene that character is never seen or mentioned again, once their role is finished the story moves on. This little tendency of most Hollywood studio's usually ruins a movie for me, but Adam is such a well acted movie, that I can overlook what must be the studios fear that I won't like the movie if I don't understand what it is Adam is dealing with.
Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy) is a single man dealing with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of Autism that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Adam's father has just passed away and his life seems to crash around him, his everyday simple chores are written out for him so he won't forget to do them. One day he meets the new tenant, Beth Buchwald (Rose Byrne) who has just ended a bad relationship and wants away from everything that would remind her . When she meets Adam she at first seems at a loss for his behaviour, she is of course unaware of what it is Adam is dealing with.
Adam has a very close friend, Harlan (Frankie Faison), who was in the service with Adam's father and knows how to help Adam when he is having a bad time. One such case is when the fathers will is being read, Adam, who helped designs toys has just been fired, and with no income the lawyer suggests Adam sell his apartment, being the only home Adam has ever known he of course freaks out at the idea of selling. So Harlan tells Adam he has to get a job, and along with the help of Beth, who by now Adam has befriended, he studies for the interview process, and when the friendship between the two turn into a more serious relationship it is Beth's father, Marty Buchwald (Peter Gallagher) who has the biggest problem with it. Marty is under investigation because he has hidden a few things for a client and the FCC has found out, Beth is in shock, she was under the assumption that her daddy was above reproach.
When Adam meets Marty he doesn't fully understand that when he asks if Marty will be going to jail, that the question is inappropriate and Beth gets mad at him. Adam doesn't really understand what it is he has done wrong, Beth leaves Adam alone on the sidewalk, a few days later Beth brings him a box of chocolates and Adam says "I'm not Forrest Gump you know". When the day comes for the trial to start both Beth and Rebecca Buchwald (Amy Irving) are in the court room, when Marty admits to having an affair with the daughter of the client he is being investigated for, the news shocks Beth. She refuses to go back in the court room and when Rebecca calls looking for Beth Adam answers, finding a book with some notes in it that the dinner where Adam met her family was staged Adam gets upset that Beth lied to him, and starts to throw things.
Adams actions scare Beth so bad that she agrees to go home with her parents, the trial is over and Marty has been sentenced, Harlan tells Adam not to make a mistake, at least talk to Beth give her a chance, Adam goes to where Beth is to ask her to go to California with him, one of the jobs he applied for panned out and he was offered a job. Standard Hollywood cliche would have Beth and Adam living happily ever after, but here director Max Mayer throws a little bit of the unexpected at the viewers. This only increases the likability of this picture. Hugh Dancy should be applauded for his efforts to bring Adam to life, all his tendencies and action seem real and not faked, that is a hard thing to pull off, usually only dedicated actors are willing to make that much effort.
I give Adam a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, this is a touching movie that unlike My Sisters Keeper, won't make you cry. You will enjoy watching as Adam grows before your eyes and you will cheer for his every success. Adam is touching and funny, it will make you care about what happens and you will share his every disappointment with him, and rejoice as he finally obtains the one element he is at home in.
Adam is rated PG-13 for Thematic Material, Sexual Content and Language
Running time is 1 hr. 37 mins.
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