Adam

Once you've got over the shock that the pretty-boy actor Hugh Dancy (in the title role) can act, it's easy to fall for the director Max Meyer's atypical love story Adam. Set in present-day New York, it tells the story of the Manhattan native Adam Raki, a socially inept but incredibly clever 29-year-old with Asperger's syndrome. The painfully shy protagonist deals with big changes in his life (the passing of his father, losing his job) before meeting a beautiful new neighbour, Beth (Rose Byrne), who further complicates matters. The plot is so-so, but it is elevated greatly by Dancy's poignant and at times funny portrayal of Adam, as well as an excellent score by the Grammy winner Christopher Lennertz. From his awkward stance to his inability to look anybody straight in the eye, Dancy is entirely believable, his subtle, idiosyncratic ticks and comic timing further adding to the likeability of the character. Beth is less appealing, however, appearing at times to patronise him for his slightly odd behaviour. A subplot involving Beth's parents, played by Amy Irving and Peter Gallagher (who essentially reprises his role as Sandy from The OC), adds momentum to the story, throwing up additional obstacles for the mismatched couple to overcome. In the end, whether the relationship survives is neither here nor there. What matters is that both Adam and Beth are shown to have profited greatly from their time spent together, and the closing scene offers a satisfying conclusion.