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ADAMMovie Reviews
Drama about a sheltered young man with Asperger syndrome and his relationship to his neighbor -- a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman. Cast:Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie R. FaisonDirector:Max MayerRelease Date:July 29, 2009DVD Release:January 5, 2010From:Fox SearchlightRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 39 min
Adam played in key cities to good reviews. • Leah Rozen wrote in People, "...works because it doesn't gloss over the challenges its hero (and those who love him) face... Dancy and Byrne imbue their characters with enough believable frailty..." • And Justin Chang wrote in Daily Variety, "...a conventional but delicately crafted drama..." More Reviews Below...
Leah Rozen, People: VERY GOOD(cg) "...works because it doesn't gloss over the challenges its hero (and those who love him) face... Dancy and Byrne imbue their characters with enough believable frailty..."(See all of Leah Rozen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 111 words, 07/30/09
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...winsome and romantic... the pair's cautious sexual exploration comes off as real, resulting in truly captivating chemistry."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 87 words, 07/30/09
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD(cg) "...it's hard to buy this relationship even for a moment.... sweet, meticulous, and, at times, sort of clever, but it's also a not-quite-surprising-enough heartwarming trifle."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 436 words, 07/31/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a cut above most romances and boasts a intriguing conclusion. One comes away with a sense of hope, leavened by realism."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 344 words, 07/29/09
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...wraps up their story in too tidy a package, insisting on finding the upbeat in the murky, and missing the chance to be more thoughtful about this challenging situation."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 641 words, 08/06/09
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...centers on a twentysomething Manhattanite with Asperger's... beautifully crafted... offers no pat or easy answers to wrenching questions."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 294 words, 07/29/09
Jennie Punter, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...the accomplished feature-directorial debut of New York theatre veteran Max Mayer.... gently monotonous... delivers our happily-ever-after..."(See all of Jennie Punter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 455 words, 08/07/09
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...only confronts reality at the end, when it timidly owns up to the likelihood that such relationships only work if the healthy partner is willing to become a mother, not a wife."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 07/29/09
Dan Kois, Washington Post: GOOD(cg) "At its best, 'Adam' makes the viewer understand the frustration of living in a world in which everyone is a stranger..."(See all of Dan Kois's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 823 words, 08/07/09
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...small, sweet... the childlike Dancy ('Ella Enchanted') and the sad-eyed Byrne ('Knowing') meet cute with such bumbling tenderness that it comes across as grace."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 570 words, 08/21/09
Christopher Kelly, Dallas Morning News: VERY GOOD(cg) "Consider seeing it for the lead actors, who resist the screenplay's more cloying flourishes and make these characters (almost) believable."(See all of Christopher Kelly's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 301 words, 08/14/09
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...shares something of the spirit of '(500) Days of Summer': an acknowledgment that not every close encounter, no matter how meaningful, can last forever."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 471 words, 08/07/09
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: MODERATE(cg) "...minor, tolerably enjoyable... doesn't add up to anything much.... earnestly informs us about Dancy's condition as if the film was an After School Special."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 08/14/09
John Hartl, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "As long as they're taking small steps toward a relationship, the movie is on solid ground. Max Mayer's script delights in setting up moments of trust and insight..."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 267 words, 08/14/09
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "Writer/director Max Mayer both acknowledges the 'Forrest Gump' formula that he's following and subverts it with a neatly nuanced ending."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 315 words, 08/21/09
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the movie works thanks to Hugh Dancy's casually controlled portrayal of a man out of control, a condition that doesn't prevent his charm from shining through."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 409 words, 08/27/09
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: EXCELLENT(cg) "Writer-director Max Mayer hits his emotional marks and balances entertainment with a responsible treatment of Aspberger."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 382 words, 08/28/09
Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Considering how subtly yet relentlessly manipulative much of this movie can be, the honest, sensitive finale comes as a welcome revelation."(See all of Michael Sragow's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 613 words, 08/21/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (5 Reviews)
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...only confronts reality at the end, when it timidly owns up to the likelihood that such relationships only work if the healthy partner is willing to become a mother, not a wife."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 07/29/09
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the protagonist of Max Mayer's debut feature does not regress into a stereotype. Instead, he shows by contrast how stereotyped all the other characters are."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 151 words, 08/06/09
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD "...conventional but delicately crafted... movingly tests the viability of a relationship between a young man with Asperger syndrome and his patient but uncertain girlfriend."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 700 words, 01/22/09
10.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Adam's reviews are separated by an average 10.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Coverage:Adam's reviews cover 57.9% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 11,150 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 360 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Adam Coverage, Volume & Length (31 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 4 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Adam's reviews on average broke 4 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Adam's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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