To live in a world in which anything could be bluntly said is almost unthinkable. Imagine if Hollywood’s creative community simply told producers that they refused to work on a runaway production. Perhaps the number of local film shoots wouldn’t be so dismal. Unfortunately, social norms and self-preservation tell those without industry power to bite their tongue.

Enter Max Mayer. As the writer and director of Fox Searchlight’s Adam, he has created a story that puts such unfiltered speech in the spotlight. Focusing this touching film on a character afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome, Mayer allows for a brief look into the life of someone that says what he means, despite the awkwardness that inevitably follows. And perhaps more delightful than the story itself is Adam’s setting.

Billing the film as a romantic comedy is unfair, as Adam deals with the human condition much more than typical summer fare. Adam Raki is a thirtysomething New Yorker — touchingly portrayed by Hugh Dancy — with a beautiful mind, albeit a problematic one. Asperger’s is a form of autism often causing a hard time understanding what other people are thinking. When Adam falls in love with his new neighbor Beth — a charming Rose Byrne — an emotional rollercoaster ensues.

… More