Sometimes you watch a movie and just really feel an appreciation for good acting. You see a film and you think, "You know, if this movie didn't have good actors in it, it would go from a really good film to a really bad one." Adam is one of those movies. This isn't to say that Adam is a badly written film. Some movies lend themselves more to the action, or problem that drives the film rather than the performances so they can get by with lesser performances and still create an entertaining movie. Some are so built around the characters in them that you have to have great acting or the movie just doesn't work. Adam definitely survives and thrives on the performances by its stars Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne.
This is an incredibly heartfelt romantic comedy-ish drama, Hugh Dancy (The Jane Austen Book Club, Arthur, Confessions of a Shopaholic) stars as Adam, a handsome but strange man with Asperger's Syndrome who has all his life led a sheltered existence. He then meets his new neighbor, Beth played by Rose Byrne ("Damages," 28 Weeks Later, Knowing, Troy), a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman who pulls him into the outside world, with funny, touching and entirely unexpected results. Their unlikely relationship reveals just how two people from different realities can find an extraordinary connection.
Both of the actors in this movie are extremely likable. You just want to reach out and hug both of them. Hugh Dancy is especially good in this. I know a person with Asperger's Syndrome or autism in general isn't a "retard" and I'm not trying to be insensitive but in the words of Robert Downey, Jr. "You never go full retard." Dancy took his advice. He played the character incredibly well. He was a full functioning member of society with his own personality, he just had a difficulty in social interactions. He plays an incredibly kind hearted, sheltered young man, and you find yourself just wanting all good things for him.
I'm basically totally in love with Rose Byrne too. She played Brad Pitt's girl friend/prisoner in Troy for those of you who was wondering who she is. She's hot in the girl next door kind of way. Once again, you find yourself just wanting her to be happy.
This movie has several very touching moments. The kindness of both of the characters is really heartwarming. I'm normally not crazy about straight up romances because some times I feel they just get too sappy and cringe as if I were watching an episode of this season's Bachelor. This movie avoided that. Yes it's a romance, so there are going to be sappy moments, but not cringe inducing sappy. It's very real. The end is a bit different than what you are used to, but it is real and still finds a way to leave you feeling happy.
I recommend this to anyone who wants to feel your heart warmed a bit. It's not incredibly long, the actors are all good in it, and you get to see a different movie than some of the mainstream crap out there. Girls, Hugh Dancy is handsome. Guys, Rose Byrne is beautiful. If nothing else watch it for that.
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