CheekyChicago

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, the romantic leads in the movie Adam exist in different universes. Beth – convincingly played by relative newcomer Rose Byrne – is a sweet, good-natured 20-something who is living, working and dating in New York. Adam – in a stellar performance by Hugh Dancy – is detached and isolated, uncomfortable with the world and his place in it. At first he seems socially stunted, inept at conversation when first meeting Rose in his apartment building. She manages to find his lack of charm endearing and they strike up an unlikely relationship. Beth is the bubbly extrovert and Adam is the brainy science whiz who lingers in the shadows, more comfortable studying outer space than interacting with anyone on earth.

As the movie unfolds, slowly at first and then building momentum, we learn Adam is afflicted with Asperberger’s Syndrome. He is an emotional island, unable to understand what other people are feeling and lost at interpreting conversational nuances, subtle meanings and even facial expressions. Adam literally can’t get the joke and the concept of flirting completely eludes him. He’s the equivalent of being emotionally blind. While Rose tries to dismiss her strange neighbor as “not boyfriend material”, she gradually falls for the boy from another planet.

Incredibly brilliant without common sense and innocent yet unstable, Adam develops a romantic relationship with Beth of unexpected intimacy and depth. While their fragile bond forms the movie’s core, there are slightly heavy-handed sub-plots to create a sense of urgency. Beth faces a family conflict and the disgrace of her powerful father (Peter Gallagher as the opposite of his do-gooder dad in The O.C.), while Adam undergoes an all-consuming job search. He’s a scientific genius who would rather stare through a telescope than make eye contact, causing anxiety attacks over the interview process.

Without revealing what becomes of Adam and Beth’s relationship, the movie succeeds at building empathy for both characters and their individual struggles to accept what they simply can’t change. Beth grapples with loving someone unable to reciprocate her feelings while Adam fights to find his place in a world he observes but can’t understand. In the end, it’s a bittersweet battle with a fitting resolution and a testament to the power of human connection.