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| Movie Review: Adam Alternate Title: Whatever Works
Story: Movies about mental disorders
can be tricky. There are very few that reach the quality of Rainman
or Being There but hats off to writer and
director Max Mayer for delivering a very fine love
story about someone who has Asbergers* Syndrome.
29 year old Adam has Asbergers Syndrome.
He is high functioning but sadly just buried his father and is about
to lose his job. He meets a young woman in his Upper West Side building
and is smitten. This charming, well acted slice of life deals with the
tentative relationship between the couple.
The first half of the film is more than watchable and holds together
well, but the film starts to fly apart when a secondary story is introduced
regarding the woman's father and his indictment for accounting fraud.
Despite some flaws the film is lovely to look
at (who can argue with the glow of the Upper West Side?) the actors
indeed have chemistry and we are introduced to a disorder that many
people live with every day. Check it out and you will have some laughs and
a tug at your heart. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92U6OnVZG3U Acting: Hugh Dancy
as Adam is nice eye candy and does a mighty credible job in this sensitive
role. Rose Byrne as Beth reminded me of Courtney Cox
and that was a bit distracting. However, she was fine in her role as
the attentive love interest. Frankie Faison as Harlan
delivered another great performance.Amy Irving and
Peter Gallagher as Beth's parents were good as well. Trivia: British Hugh
Dancy is one of the UK's most up and coming talents.
He graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English Literature
& Language and speaks fluent French. He is engaged to Claire Danes.
Australian actress Rose Byrne studied drama at Syndey's Australian Theatre
for Young People and later at David Mamet Acting School, in New York.
Both Byrne's parents are atheists, while she describes herself as agnostic.
*The name "Asperger" comes from Hans
Asperger, an Austrian physician who first described the syndrome
in 1944. In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized
by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments
in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Though
grammatical, their speech may sound peculiar due to abnormalities of
inflection and a repetitive pattern. Clumsiness may be prominent both
in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a
circumscribed area of interest which usually leaves no space for more
age appropriate, common interests. Some examples are cars, trains, French
Literature, door knobs, hinges, cappucino, meteorology, astronomy or
history. Most of the people on the following list are
speculated to have Asperger's Syndrome, rather than being confirmed
cases of Asperger's Syndrome. Predilection: None
Critters: Raccoons
Food: Macaroni and Cheese, cereal, sandwiches, penne
and champagne
Sex Spectrum: Mostly hugging and cuddling
Blatant Product Placement: Amy's Macaroni and Cheese,
All -Bran cereal
Soundtrack: A bit sappy
Opening Titles: A sequence showing the burial of
Adam's father.
Visual Art: The Upper West Side is bathed in a golden
glow. Everything looks good, clean and tasteful.
Theater Audience: About 20 other people.
Weather: It is a lovely fall/winter in the City.
Sappy Factor: 1
Quirky Meter: 1
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I drifted a little about 2/3 of the
way through.
Predictability Level: High for me
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: It is a fine summer diversion
(the snow looks very cool) but if you miss it on the big screen a rental
would be fine.
Length: Under two hours.
LOBO HOWLS: 7 |