"ADAM" (2009) (Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy Minor Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Heavy Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Dramedy: Following the death of his father, a 29-year-old man with Asperger's Syndrome ends up living alone and struggles with his romantic feelings toward his new upstairs neighbor, a schoolteacher and aspiring children's book author. PLOT: Adam Raki (HUGH DANCY) is a 29-year-old man who now lives alone in a large apartment in Manhattan following the death of his father. An electronics engineer, Adam has Asperger's Syndrome, a high functioning level of autism that makes him uncomfortable with most non work or science related social settings, and his only real friend is Harlan (FRANKIE FAISON) who served in the military with Adam's dad. Things change for Adam when Beth Buchwald (ROSE BYRNE) becomes his new upstairs neighbor. A schoolteacher and aspiring children's book author, she initially isn't sure what to make of Adam and his somewhat unusual demeanor and behavior, but he quickly grows on her and the two eventually become an item. That doesn't sit well with Beth's dad, Marty (PETER GALLAGHER), an opinionated accountant who's now facing an indictment, a development that's shocked Beth and her mom, Rebecca (AMY IRVING). From that point on, Beth tries to decide out what's right for herself and her relationship with Adam, all while hoping to figure out how best to communicate with him and his unique way of viewing himself, the world, and others. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or are interested in the subject matter, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For thematic material, sexual content and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: HUGH DANCY plays a 29-year-old electronics engineer with Asperger's Syndrome, a condition that leaves him uncomfortable in most any social situation, particularly new ones. He meets and then falls for Beth, but most contend with not always understanding her meanings and motives. He has sex with her and may drink some. ROSE BYRNE plays a schoolteacher and aspiring children's book author who falls for him despite his unusual demeanor and behavior. She has sex with him, drinks some (appearing slightly intoxicated in one scene), and uses brief strong profanity, and must contend with her unusual relationship as well as unexpected developments regarding her father. PETER GALLAGHER plays her highly opinionated father, an accountant who's now facing an indictment over questionable business behavior. When not dealing with that, he tells Beth exactly what he thinks about her relationships. He drinks some and uses some profanity. AMY IRVING plays his wife who must contend with the indictment and other developments about him. She drinks some. FRANKIE FAISON plays Adam's best friend who served in the military with his father and now watches over him, dispensing help and advice when they're needed. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated dramedy. Profanity consists of at least 2 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as is some fooling around, with off-screen sex implied. A little bit of violence occasionally occurs. A few scenes feature drinking, with one character appearing a little intoxicated. Bad attitudes are present, as is tense family material. Some potentially imitative behavior is also present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's a little bit of handheld camerawork in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Beth has wine and Adam may be holding a drink. People have beer and wine at a party. About a job interview, Beth tells Adam they should get some champagne, adding that in her family the saying is it's never too early to have that. We then see them, with her holding and drinking from the champagne bottle, appearing a little intoxicated. Marty holds a drink while telling a story, while Rebecca holds a glass of wine, as do others. BLOOD/GORE Upset over an earlier incident, Adam smashes his head against a mirror, breaking the glass and sending a trickle of blood down his head. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Beth sarcastically says about only children (and thus herself) being "emotional retards." Marty is being indicted for questionable accounting business matters, later confesses to being guilty of that, and also admits under oath that he had an affair years ago with the woman connected to the accounting issue. Mad upon hearing that his and Beth's "accidental" running into her parents at the theater had actually been arranged by her, Adam is mad. He calls her a liar, says he hates her, and starts thrashing and knocking things about in the room, frightening and angering her. Marty tells Beth that Adam isn't for her, saying he's more like a child and that she won't be happy. Later, when Adam says he got a job in California and wants her to move there with him, Marty says she's not going to do that. He then grabs Beth, with Adam intervening, causing Marty to fall to the ground where Adam pins him. FRIGHTENING SCENES After being laid off, Adam goes to Beth's school and stands at the fence, looking at the children play. A police car pulls up and the cops are suspicious that he might be a pedophile. Accordingly, they make him turn around and face a fence while questioning him, thus making Adam quite nervous and uncomfortable until Beth happens upon the scene. Mad upon hearing that his and Beth's "accidental" running into her parents at the theater had actually been arranged by her, Adam is mad. He calls her a liar, says he hates her, and starts thrashing and knocking things about in the room, frightening and angering her. GUNS/WEAPONS A waiter has a fake knife through his head while serving Adam and Beth (during what's presumably Halloween or some sort of costume event). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck your Asperger's," "Bullsh*t," "Is a d*ck," "So he's an idiot," "Emotional retards," "Jackass," "Police freak me out too" and "Freaking." We see miscellaneous graffiti. Upset over an earlier incident, Adam smashes his head against a mirror, breaking the glass and sending a trickle of blood down his head. Beth comes home to find Adam hanging outside her window in a spacesuit, stuck there while trying to clean her windows while suspended in front of them. A waiter has a fake knife through his head while serving Adam and Beth (during what's presumably Halloween or some sort of costume event). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 2 "f" words, 1 "s" word, 4 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck" and "weenie"), 1 damn, 1 hell, 3 uses of "God" and 1 use each of "Oh God" and "Oh Jesus." SEX/NUDITY We see part of Adam's bare chest as he wears just a suit jacket due to having no clean shirts while doing laundry. About earlier sitting together and watching raccoons in a park, Adam asks Beth if she was excited. She asks what he means and he states sexually, thus making her uneasy. He then adds that he asked because he was and wondered if she was too. He then mentions that again. Beth reads her young students a children's story about a naked king, and then asks the kids what they thought about that. They focus on the naked part, with one boy saying another character in the story was afraid of seeing the king's "weenie," with that word being repeated. Adam and Beth briefly but passionately kiss while clothed and seated outside. We next see them lying in bed, her head on his chest, but both are clothed. She mentions her former boyfriend who slept with other women, and thus says she needs to take things slowly. He asks if that means kissing and hugging but no sex, and she says yes. Beth gives Adam a massage while he lies face down on a bed and she has one stocking-covered leg partially over his body (both fully clothed). She then wants to switch, and then puts his hand inside her shirt onto her breast (the action is seen, but not the breast). He then asks if that means she wants to have sex and she says she thinks she does. He then reminds her that she said she needed time, so she playfully tells him to take it (sex) very slowly. Sex is implied but not seen. We see Adam and Beth in bed, under the covers (bare shoulders), with him asking for one more time. She seems put out with him, asking if he can think of anything else. This is a tease to make us think he's talking about sex, but he really wants to do more rehearsing for his job interview. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see Adam looking distraught and confused about what to do as dirt is shoveled into his father's grave. He then ends up living alone in the apartment they once shared. Adam tells Beth that his father recently died, and when asked adds that his mom died when he was eight-years-old. Under oath, Marty admits to having an affair in the past, shocking Beth and maybe her mom as well (her expression makes it unclear if she already knew). Beth and her mom are upset upon learning of Marty being found guilty and being sentenced to 5 years (but only 2 to be served) in prison. Marty tells Beth that Adam isn't for her, saying he's more like a child and that she won't be happy. Later, when Adam says he got a job in California and wants her to move there with him, Marty says she's not going to do that. He then grabs Beth, with Adam intervening, causing Marty to fall to the ground where Adam pins him. Beth is upset that her dad wouldn't see her when she went to visit him in prison (not seen). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Asperger's Syndrome. Adam describes the Big Bang theory to Beth. Beth sarcastically says about only children (and thus herself) being "emotional retards." After being laid off, Adam goes to Beth's school and stands at the fence, looking at the children play. A police car pulls up and the cops are suspicious that he might be a pedophile. Accordingly, they make him turn around and face a fence while questioning him, thus making Adam quite nervous and uncomfortable until Beth happens upon the scene. VIOLENCE Upset over an earlier incident, Adam smashes his head against a mirror, breaking the glass and sending a trickle of blood down his head. Mad upon hearing that his and Beth's "accidental" running into her parents at the theater had actually been arranged by her, Adam is mad. He calls her a liar, says he hates her, and starts thrashing and knocking things about in the room, frightening and angering her. Marty tells Beth that Adam isn't for her, saying he's more like a child and that she won't be happy. Later, when Adam says he got a job in California and wants her to move there with him, Marty says she's not going to do that. He then grabs Beth, with Adam intervening, causing Marty to fall to the ground where Adam pins him. Reviewed June 26, 2009 / Posted August 28, 2009

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