Asperger’s Syndrome, also known as Asperger’s Disorder or AS, is a high functioning form of Autism. It is one of five pervasive developmental disorders that are most common in the development of children. By definition, people who live with Asperger’s Syndrome tend to have severe issues with social interaction as well as repeated (and restricted) patterns in behavior and abilities. Though this disorder is similar to other Autistic disorders, people with Asperger’s Syndrome do not share the same problems of acquiring speech and language that individuals with other Autistic disorders may have, which makes them appear seemingly ‘normal’ or without mental disorder to the naked eye. Another characteristic of people living with Asperger’s Syndrome is the habit of adopting one subject of learning as a favorite and excelling in it to a genius level. Some examples of famous people who may have lived through and with Asperger’s Syndrome include such great minds as Albert Einstein, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Beethoven, Goethe, and Adam Raki.
Wait… This is a movie review… So, why did I just explain Asperger’s Syndrome to you? How could this high functioning form of Autism possibly have anything to do with movies or the entertainment industry? Well, it has to do with the last name in the above paragraph. Adam Raki. No need to Google this name to find out who this person is because Adam Raki is completely fictional. He is actually the main character of Fox Searchlight’s new romantic-comedy Adam, which bases its plot around a man living with Asperger’s Syndrome in every day life while dealing with the very real complications that go along with it.
The movie itself begins on a somber note. Adam, a character whose life is full of routine from what he eats to when he eats it to where he eats it, has just lost his caregiver and father. Unlike many people, Adam (played masterfully by Hugh Dancy) seems quite unaffected by this. He scribbles out his father’s name on the household chore list, attends his veteran father’s funeral, and places the flag from said funeral onto a shelf without shedding a single tear. It doesn’t take him long to go back to his routines either. He just continues on with life as if nothing ever really happened, though he does know something did happen. He does know his father is dead.
It’s around this time that Beth Buchwald (portrayed on the big screen by Rose Byrne) enters the picture as Adam’s new, seemingly friendly neighbor. She claims to be a children’s writer who is currently working at an elementary school. Viewers soon learn that she has problems of her own. Her father, a manipulative accountant played by David Gallagher, is involved in a very heated trial where he is playing the role of defendent. Even though he claims ‘not guilty’ and assures his daughter that everything will be all right, Beth still worries to the point of tears that her father will be sent to prison.
One thing the two do have in common is their mutual interest in each other. After a lot of sacrifice on both sides, Adam and Beth establish a connection. Their relationship becomes a huge learning process for each individual as they go through very normal issues such as intimacy, lying, peer pressure, and what seems like the ‘end of the road’ while also dealing with Adam’s disability as well. While Beth teaches Adam how to act like a normal person, he also teaches her in so many different ways without truly trying to.
I can’t say things last in the relationship between Adam and Beth, but I can say there is a happy ending. Another thing I can say is that I loved this movie. I loved the understanding that I got from seeing other people go through everyday problems in the real world, especially when they really can’t mentally deal with the problems the real world throws at them. Adam can’t deal with love or rejection. He can’t deal with being lied to. It takes so much sacrifice just for him to walk outside into a crowded street for a few minutes without having an Autistic episode. He doesn’t know sympathy and he can’t always control his honesty, but that’s what’s so beautiful about him. He’s different and he can’t control it or change it. He’s different and that’s not bad. He’s different and he’s not stupid. It’s my opinion that this movie is definitely worth the money to see and while it may be a chick-flick, it’s one of the best I have seen so far. Hugh Dancy is an incredible actor and writer/director Max Mayer may have made one of the best movies I have seen all summer.
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Published review can be found here.
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