Adam (film)
Encyclopedia
Adam is a 2009 romantic-drama film written and directed by Max Mayer, starring Hugh Dancy
and Rose Byrne
. The film follows the relationship between a young man named Adam (Dancy) with Asperger syndrome
and the woman of his dreams, Beth (Byrne). Mayer was inspired to write the film's script when he heard a radio interview with a man who had Asperger's.
Filming took place in New York
in December 2005. The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
, where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize
, and was released in United States on July 29, 2009. The release date in Canada and the UK was August 7, August 20 in Australia, and everywhere else after Labor Day
.
living alone in Manhattan
after his parents' deaths. He has a friend Harlan (Frankie Faison
), an old army buddy of his father's, who is always there for him. Because of his condition, Adam has difficulty communicating with others and likes to escape into his love of space exploration. His fixation on detail and repetitive behaviors cost him his job at a toy manufacturing company and nearly get him arrested after being mistaken for a paedophile. The loss of his job and a legal battle over his deceased parents' assets leave him with an uncertain future.
Beth Buchwald (Byrne), a school teacher and aspiring children's book writer, moves into the apartment above his and they strike up an awkward friendship. One night, Beth is shocked to find him trying to clean her apartment windows suspended from the roof of the building in a spacesuit.
Beth takes a liking to Adam despite his oddities. Adam hopes for a relationship, but the first attempts are uneasy due to his fear of social interaction. Eventually he breaks out of his mechanical routines enough to be able to date Beth.
When he tries to ask Beth if she was aroused as he was by raccoons during an outing to Central Park, she is taken aback. Adam admits his Asperger's to her, explaining his inability to interpret her emotions
. Surprised by his innocence, Beth understands the reason for his question and they continue dating. Eventually their relationship becomes intimate with Beth helping him understand how to better connect with her, how to introduce himself to her family, and how to find a new career.
Things go downhill as Beth's father, Marty (Peter Gallagher
), gets into legal trouble. Adam naively asks him questions about the details of Marty's alleged crimes; this creates a rift with Beth, although they later make up.
Marty pleads guilty and is about to be sentenced. Beth's mother (Amy Irving
) calls Adam trying to find Beth. She asks him to check Beth's calendar for any way to reach her. He finds that Beth had put down a reminder to meet her parents on the night they "unexpectedly" bumped into each other. Beth knew that Adam would be uncomfortable, so she and her father engineered an "accidental" meeting. When Beth confirms this, Adam angrily accuses her of being a liar and her father a criminal. Beth storms out and goes to her parents' home.
Adam gets a call from the Mount Wilson Observatory
in California
offering a job there building microcircuits for satellite
guidance and navigation systems
. He is uncertain about leaving the home he has known for most of his life. Feeling guilty for the things he said to Beth, he sets out by any means of transportation to the Buchwalds' home in upstate New York, even on foot, to apologize to Beth. He asks her to go to California with him. Marty tries to convince Beth not to go with someone "not of this world." This leads to a heated argument with Beth, who tells her father that he has lied to her and the family about his crimes.
Beth returns with Adam to New York City to prepare him to go to California, but she has second thoughts upon realizing that the only reason Adam wants her to accompany him is that he needs her to interpret the world for him. She decides to stay in New York.
A year later, while working his dream job as an astronomer at the observatory and learning to be more social, Adam receives a package from Beth, containing her first children's book inspired by the early events of their relationship. He reads it as the twirling stars of the cosmos light up the Californian night sky.
Principal photography
took place in New York City
in December 2005. Specific filming locations included Greenwich Village
and Central Park
.
on January 20, 2009 where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize
for "an outstanding feature film focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character". Although producer Leslie Urdang was initially doubtful of the film's chances of finding a distributor at Sundance, Fox Searchlight Pictures
bought the film's distribution rights. In March 2009, the film was screened at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival
, winning the Jury Award for Best Picture. It was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival
, Edinburgh Film Festival, CineVegas Film Festival and San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
before it had a U.S. theatrical release on July 29, 2009. The film was released on DVD January 5, 2010.
Hugh Dancy
- Early life and career :Dancy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of British philosopher Jonathan Dancy, a professor at the University of Reading and at the University of Texas at Austin. His mother, Sarah, is a publisher. His brother, Jack, is a co-director of the travel company, Trufflepig...
and Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne
Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
. The film follows the relationship between a young man named Adam (Dancy) with Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
and the woman of his dreams, Beth (Byrne). Mayer was inspired to write the film's script when he heard a radio interview with a man who had Asperger's.
Filming took place in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in December 2005. The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
2009 Sundance Film Festival
The 2009 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 15, 2009 until January 25 in Park City, Utah. It was the 25th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival.-Award winners:*Grand Jury Prize: Documentary - We Live in Public...
, where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize
Alfred P. Sloan Prize
The Alfred P. Sloan Prize is an award given each year, starting in 2003, to a film at the Sundance Film Festival. The prize is given to a feature film that focuses on science or technology as a theme, or depicts a scientist, engineer, or mathematician as a major character.Each winner is presented...
, and was released in United States on July 29, 2009. The release date in Canada and the UK was August 7, August 20 in Australia, and everywhere else after Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
.
Plot
Adam Raki (Dancy) is a young man with Asperger syndromeAsperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
living alone in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
after his parents' deaths. He has a friend Harlan (Frankie Faison
Frankie Faison
Frankie Russel Faison , often credited as Frankie R. Faison, is an American actor.-Personal life:Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Carmena and Edgar Faison. He studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity...
), an old army buddy of his father's, who is always there for him. Because of his condition, Adam has difficulty communicating with others and likes to escape into his love of space exploration. His fixation on detail and repetitive behaviors cost him his job at a toy manufacturing company and nearly get him arrested after being mistaken for a paedophile. The loss of his job and a legal battle over his deceased parents' assets leave him with an uncertain future.
Beth Buchwald (Byrne), a school teacher and aspiring children's book writer, moves into the apartment above his and they strike up an awkward friendship. One night, Beth is shocked to find him trying to clean her apartment windows suspended from the roof of the building in a spacesuit.
Beth takes a liking to Adam despite his oddities. Adam hopes for a relationship, but the first attempts are uneasy due to his fear of social interaction. Eventually he breaks out of his mechanical routines enough to be able to date Beth.
When he tries to ask Beth if she was aroused as he was by raccoons during an outing to Central Park, she is taken aback. Adam admits his Asperger's to her, explaining his inability to interpret her emotions
Mind-blindness
Mind-blindness can be described as an inability to develop an awareness of what is in the mind of another human. It is not necessarily caused by an inability to imagine an answer, but is often due to not being able to gather enough information to work out which of the many possible answers is...
. Surprised by his innocence, Beth understands the reason for his question and they continue dating. Eventually their relationship becomes intimate with Beth helping him understand how to better connect with her, how to introduce himself to her family, and how to find a new career.
Things go downhill as Beth's father, Marty (Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher
Peter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
), gets into legal trouble. Adam naively asks him questions about the details of Marty's alleged crimes; this creates a rift with Beth, although they later make up.
Marty pleads guilty and is about to be sentenced. Beth's mother (Amy Irving
Amy Irving
Amy Davis Irving is an American actress, known for her roles in the films Crossing Delancey, The Fury, Carrie, and Yentl as well as acclaimed roles on Broadway and Off-Broadway. She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and has won an Obie award...
) calls Adam trying to find Beth. She asks him to check Beth's calendar for any way to reach her. He finds that Beth had put down a reminder to meet her parents on the night they "unexpectedly" bumped into each other. Beth knew that Adam would be uncomfortable, so she and her father engineered an "accidental" meeting. When Beth confirms this, Adam angrily accuses her of being a liar and her father a criminal. Beth storms out and goes to her parents' home.
Adam gets a call from the Mount Wilson Observatory
Mount Wilson Observatory
The Mount Wilson Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The MWO is located on Mount Wilson, a 5,715 foot peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
offering a job there building microcircuits for satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
guidance and navigation systems
Guidance, Navigation and Control
Guidance, navigation and control is a branch of engineering dealing with the design of systems to control the movement of vehicles, especially, automobiles, ships, aircraft, and spacecraft. In many cases these functions can be performed by trained humans...
. He is uncertain about leaving the home he has known for most of his life. Feeling guilty for the things he said to Beth, he sets out by any means of transportation to the Buchwalds' home in upstate New York, even on foot, to apologize to Beth. He asks her to go to California with him. Marty tries to convince Beth not to go with someone "not of this world." This leads to a heated argument with Beth, who tells her father that he has lied to her and the family about his crimes.
Beth returns with Adam to New York City to prepare him to go to California, but she has second thoughts upon realizing that the only reason Adam wants her to accompany him is that he needs her to interpret the world for him. She decides to stay in New York.
A year later, while working his dream job as an astronomer at the observatory and learning to be more social, Adam receives a package from Beth, containing her first children's book inspired by the early events of their relationship. He reads it as the twirling stars of the cosmos light up the Californian night sky.
Cast
- Hugh DancyHugh Dancy- Early life and career :Dancy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of British philosopher Jonathan Dancy, a professor at the University of Reading and at the University of Texas at Austin. His mother, Sarah, is a publisher. His brother, Jack, is a co-director of the travel company, Trufflepig...
as Adam Raki - Rose ByrneRose ByrneMary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
as Beth Buchwald - Peter GallagherPeter GallagherPeter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
as Marty Buchwald - Amy IrvingAmy IrvingAmy Davis Irving is an American actress, known for her roles in the films Crossing Delancey, The Fury, Carrie, and Yentl as well as acclaimed roles on Broadway and Off-Broadway. She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and has won an Obie award...
as Rebecca Buchwald - Frankie FaisonFrankie FaisonFrankie Russel Faison , often credited as Frankie R. Faison, is an American actor.-Personal life:Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Carmena and Edgar Faison. He studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity...
as Harlan - Mark Linn-BakerMark Linn-BakerMark Linn-Baker is an American actor and director famous for his role as Larry Appleton on the television sitcom Perfect Strangers.-Early life and career:...
as Sam Klieber - Karina ArroyaveKarina ArroyaveKarina Arroyave is a Colombian television and film actress, likely best known as Jamey Farrell in 24.She has appeared in a total of 3 "dedicated teacher" films where the teacher tries to get the inner city students to want to learn...
as Anna Maria - Maddie CormanMaddie CormanMaddie Corman is an American television and film actress.-Career:Born Madeleine Cornman in New York City, New York, she began her career as a child actress in the 1980s...
as Robin - Adam LeFevreAdam LeFevreAdam LeFevre is an American character actor, poet and playwright who works in cinema, television, theater and commercials....
as Wardlow - Mark MargolisMark MargolisMark Margolis is an American actor who has been making films since 1976.Margolis went to Temple University briefly before moving to New York City, where he studied drama with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio...
as Older Man
Production
Max Mayer formed the idea for Adam when he heard a man with Asperger syndrome being interviewed on National Public Radio about how he viewed the world. He was intrigued and, after doing further research on Asperger's, felt that the syndrome was a metaphor for "the tension between all of us human beings [... and] the desire to connect to one another". As he worked on the screenplay, Mayer drew the character of Adam from the man he had heard talking on the radio in addition to his research, while Beth's character was based on numerous people Mayer knew. Hugh Dancy and Mayer worked together for a month before filming began to develop Adam's character, and in preparation for his role, Dancy spoke with individuals affected by Asperger's about their feelings, sensory issues and interests.Principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
took place in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in December 2005. Specific filming locations included Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
and Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
.
Release
Adam had its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival2009 Sundance Film Festival
The 2009 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 15, 2009 until January 25 in Park City, Utah. It was the 25th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival.-Award winners:*Grand Jury Prize: Documentary - We Live in Public...
on January 20, 2009 where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize
Alfred P. Sloan Prize
The Alfred P. Sloan Prize is an award given each year, starting in 2003, to a film at the Sundance Film Festival. The prize is given to a feature film that focuses on science or technology as a theme, or depicts a scientist, engineer, or mathematician as a major character.Each winner is presented...
for "an outstanding feature film focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character". Although producer Leslie Urdang was initially doubtful of the film's chances of finding a distributor at Sundance, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures, established in 1998, is a film division of Fox Filmed Entertainment alongside the larger Fox studio 20th Century Fox...
bought the film's distribution rights. In March 2009, the film was screened at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival
Method Fest Independent Film Festival
Method Fest Independent Film Festival is an independent film festival that has currently held over 8 festivals. It is held in Calabasas, California and is dedicated to support the work of those who produce, make and work in independent film and to provide educational opportunities in independent...
, winning the Jury Award for Best Picture. It was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
, Edinburgh Film Festival, CineVegas Film Festival and San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is the oldest and largest Jewish film festival in the world. The three-week summer festival is held in San Francisco, California, usually at the Castro Theater in San Francisco and other cinemas in San Francisco, Berkeley, San Rafael, and Palo Alto, and features...
before it had a U.S. theatrical release on July 29, 2009. The film was released on DVD January 5, 2010.