Adam

This movie hits very close to home for me. My own little brother has Asperger's Syndrome, which is the form of autism that the title character Adam (played by Hugh Dancy) has. WebMD describes Asperger's Syndrome as a type of pervasive development disorder (PDD) that "involves delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination." But knowing how my own brother is, that is far too general of a statement. And after watching this movie, I am confident you will agree.

Hugh Dancy's portrayal of someone with Asperger’s is remarkably spot on. He brings a profound sense of reality to the role by fostering innocence in Adam that is both endearing and empathetic. People with this disorder are fully capable of having very normal lives; they just exist on a different plain from the rest of us. Dancy creates a character that is easy to like, despite his oddities. And you find yourself caring about Adam not because he has Asperger’s, but because you are able to empathize with his predicaments, if not relate to them yourself. It is evident early on in the film that something is a little off with Adam Raki. You see him plunged into unfamiliar territory: first, with the death of his father, then living alone for the first time in his life, and soon with his courtship of his new female neighbor. There are several scenes where Dancy truly captures the under rationalization of Adam, especially in his dramatic outbursts and moments of emotional turmoil.

Rose Bryne and Hugh Dancy

We have seen the depth that Rose Bryne brings to the table, most notably in her Emmy nominated role as Ellen Parsons on the hit television show Damages. And she is nothing short of that as Beth Buchwald in Adam. Beth herself is at a crossroads in her life—she recently ended a prior relationship with a successful, good-on-paper ex-fiance, she is cooping with her career mediocrity as an elementary school teacher with aspirations of becoming an author, and on top of it all, her “perfect” father is being prosecuted for white collar crimes. It seems like she meets Adam at just the right time, because she too is looking for someone to lean on. Bryne brings a saintly persona to a character that seemingly is just as naive in many respects as Adam is, just without a mental disorder.

Frankie Faison as Harlan

Frankie Faison adds some comic relief as Harlan, Adam’s father’s friend who indirectly looks after his interests. One of the classic moments in the film is when Harlan and Adam are having lunch. Adam begins to talk about the Voyager satellite, because astronomy is his passion. Harlan cuts him off proclaiming, “lunch time is for guy talk”. Adam pauses for a moment and replies, “A woman moved into 3A”. Harlan smiles, “Alright, now that’s lunch talk!” It is Harlan who encourages Adam to pursue Beth and tries to give him advice as to how to do so. He understands Adam’s condition probably better than anyone, and therefore can entice him in a positive way to make new ventures in his life. One might consider him to be Adam’s conscience.

When Adam finally does court Beth, we truly begin to see how Asperger’s affects him. Most people would easily consider his actions strange, but once you know that he has this condition, it all makes sense. This scene itself is rather humorous, because Adam admits to being “sexually excited” by her and asks if she was as well. Instinctively, she is about to leave, until he explains that he doesn’t always say the right things because of his condition. It is interesting to see the how someone with Asperger’s would deal with being in a relationship because it’s the simple things that look difficult. He has to meet he friends, her family, and somehow integrate himself into her life in a way he never has; how is this so different from what we all endure in our own relationships? What makes this film so endearing is that a “neurotypical” person (as so frequently referred to by Adam himself) would face the same challenges that he does with dating and surprisingly we start to relate to him.

Peter Gallagher as Marty Buchwald

The subplot of Beth’s parents is somewhat of a distraction to the film. Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving play Marty and Rebecca Buchwald, Beth’s well-to-do parents who still have a great deal of influence on their daughter’s life. The whole Daddy’s Little Girl angel is quite trite, yet explains a lot behind why Beth is the way she is. In her eyes, her father can do no wrong and she is naturally devastated to find out that he’s a criminal. All of sudden, the story line shifts from Adam struggling to just be with Beth, to Beth’s father not wanting her to be with him at all, “He’s not the guy for you.” I think we could have seen a lot less of Gallagher’s character and still had the same understanding of Beth.

There are some absolutely great moments of candor in this film. When Beth brings Adam a box of chocolates as a gesture to thank him, he says, “I’m not Forrest Gump, you know.” Other critics have compared Adam to films such as Rain Man and Forrest Gump, because the main character in these films is also autistic. However, this particular film is not at all like them. In fact, I would compare it more with other New York-set films such as Woody Allen’s Annie Hall or Mike Nichols’ Regarding Henry. What makes this film so refreshing is the fact that Hollywood is recognizing more of the actual illness than before. By creating a movie who’s protagonist has a mental disorder that is directly addressed within the movie, is unlike many films before. It does so, without making Adam’s Asperger’s the focal point of the whole story and achieves an attractive plausibility for the viewer.

I am not so easily convinced when it comes to cinematic portrayals of characters that are suffering from some sort of mental condition. However, Max Mayer’s film Adam is anything but unrealistic. It is poignant when you least expect it to be and dramatic in an unfamiliar sort. It reaches out to us and explains life through the eyes of someone who would otherwise be written off altogether. I think we all have had a moment or two where we felt like we just weren’t being understood. This is a film about choices and circumstances, and loving someone in between all of that.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Bottom Line: Simply put, Adam is a tiny little film with a great big heart.