MOVIE OF THE WEEK (8/28/09): ADAM
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving and Frankie Faison
WRITER: Max Mayer
DIRECTOR: Max Mayer
WEB SITE: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/adam
THE PLOT: Everyone has a unique view of the world. Some people are doers, some people are thinkers, some people live in the moment .... And then there are people like Adam (Hugh Dancy). An extremely bright individual 29 years young, Adam is affable, kind, sensitive and has a particularly deep knowledge of astronomy and the stars.
All those qualities, however, cannot make up for the two struggles with which Adam must now deal - those being the recent death of his former astronaut father and Asperger's Syndrome, an autistic condition which ... Well, let's just say it makes things like social interaction a bit rough. Luckily for Adam, Harlan (Frankie Faison) is there to help him out.
The person Adam doesn't expect to help him out, however, is his neighbor Beth Buckwald (Rose Byrne). A school teacher who is also an aspiring children's author, Beth has some problems of her own: A jerk of an ex-boyfriend and an account father (Peter Gallagher) who may be going on trial for potential illegal activities. But when her and Adam's paths cross, one thing becomes clear: Their lives - especially Adam's - will never be the same again.
THE TAKE: There are plenty of indie movies that tell nice stories, have nice characters or offer up a nice diversion from everyday life. Adam, however, is not a "nice" movie; it's a real movie - and therein lies the difference in regards to its success.
Asperger's syndrome is not commonly seen in the media; as anyone who's seen Tropic Thunder can tell you, it's just not "sexy" enough in terms of awards appeal. And while Thunder may have been controversial for its discussion of actors' approach to playing characters with various mental disorders, it was according to many industry insiders accurate. Dancy's approach to Adam, however, will stir up no such controversies as his performance is nothing short of fabulous. While's Adam has Asperger's, it- to use a terrible cliche - does not have him. While his condition affects his understanding of the world, it does not come off as being the sole reason he does everything he does. In other words, there's a person underneath the condition that has desires like everyone else - it may just take a little effort to see them.
Byrne turns in a complimentary performance to Dancy's while Faison provides a great sense of comic relief without being "the funny black guy." (He is, but it doesn't feel forced in this instance.)
All in all, Adam is the type of movie you want to watch as you learn more about the characters and care what happens to them. You want to watch because the characters are portrayed as real people with real problems and issues. And last but not least, you want to watch because the story is one that deserves to be told.
After all, Adam is a pretty nice guy. And you'll like him once you get to know him.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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