Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Adam

  • 20092009
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
35K
YOUR RATING
Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
Soon after Beth (Byrne) moves into her new apartment, the beautiful, emotionally fragile writer is drawn to her downstairs neighbor, Adam, a handsome young guy who has Asperger's Syndrome. but odd fellow with whom a relationship seems impossible ...
Play trailer2:31
9 Videos
38 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Adam, a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth.Adam, a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth.Adam, a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
35K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Max Mayer
  • Writer
    • Max Mayer
  • Stars
    • Hugh Dancy
    • Rose Byrne
    • Peter Gallagher
Top credits
  • Director
    • Max Mayer
  • Writer
    • Max Mayer
  • Stars
    • Hugh Dancy
    • Rose Byrne
    • Peter Gallagher
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 82User reviews
    • 120Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos9

    Adam
    Trailer 2:31
    Adam
    Adam
    Clip 0:33
    Adam
    Adam
    Clip 0:59
    Adam
    Adam
    Clip 1:04
    Adam
    Adam
    Clip 1:09
    Adam
    Adam
    Clip 0:57
    Adam
    Adam
    Interview 0:39
    Adam
    Adam
    Interview 0:51
    Adam
    Adam -- Hugh Dancy's Favorite Scene
    Promo 1:49
    Adam -- Hugh Dancy's Favorite Scene

    Photos38

    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Boyd Gaines at an event for Adam (2009)
    Hugh Dancy at an event for Adam (2009)
    Hugh Dancy at an event for Adam (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy at an event for Adam (2009)
    Anthony Okungbowa at an event for Adam (2009)
    Amy Irving at an event for Adam (2009)
    Bella Thorne at an event for Adam (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Hugh Dancy
    Hugh Dancy
    • Adam Rakias Adam Raki
    Rose Byrne
    Rose Byrne
    • Beth Buchwaldas Beth Buchwald
    Peter Gallagher
    Peter Gallagher
    • Marty Buchwaldas Marty Buchwald
    Amy Irving
    Amy Irving
    • Rebecca Buchwaldas Rebecca Buchwald
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Harlanas Harlan
    Mark Linn-Baker
    Mark Linn-Baker
    • Sam Klieberas Sam Klieber
    Haviland Morris
    Haviland Morris
    • Lyraas Lyra
    Adam LeFevre
    Adam LeFevre
    • Mr. Wardlowas Mr. Wardlow
    Mike Hodge
    Mike Hodge
    • Judgeas Judge
    Peter O'Hara
    Peter O'Hara
    • Williamsas Williams
    John Rothman
    John Rothman
    • Beranbaumas Beranbaum
    Terry Walters
    Terry Walters
    • Michaelas Michael
    Steffany Huckaby
    Steffany Huckaby
    • Carolas Carol
    Susan Porro
    Susan Porro
    • Jenas Jen
    Maddie Corman
    Maddie Corman
    • Robinas Robin
    Jeff Hiller
    Jeff Hiller
    • Romas Rom
    Karina Arroyave
    Karina Arroyave
    • Teacher Assistantas Teacher Assistant
    Mark Doherty
    Mark Doherty
    • Cop # 1as Cop # 1
    • Director
      • Max Mayer
    • Writer
      • Max Mayer
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Adam: Alternate and Deleted Scenes
    7.5
    Adam: Alternate and Deleted Scenes
    The Jane Austen Book Club
    6.7
    The Jane Austen Book Club
    Hysteria
    6.7
    Hysteria
    Adam: Alternate Ending
    6.2
    Adam: Alternate Ending
    Ruby Sparks
    7.2
    Ruby Sparks
    Mozart and the Whale
    6.8
    Mozart and the Whale
    The Art of Getting By
    6.5
    The Art of Getting By
    Adam
    6.4
    Adam
    Adam
    7.2
    Adam
    Evening
    6.4
    Evening
    Coach
    5.4
    Coach
    Now
    6.2
    Now

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The chief executive officer of Halloran, in the letter regarding Adam's interview, is named Tamar Ganish. The film's production designer is Tamar Gadish.
    • Goofs
      When Beth has her picture hanging up inside Adam's closet, he turns around to look at her and the clock next to Beth says 10:40. Then Adam looks at the picture again in confusion then looks at Beth again a few seconds later and the clock next to Beth then reads 10:39.
    • Quotes

      Adam Raki: I can see that you're upset, but I don't know what to do.

      Beth Buchwald: Could you give me a hug?

      Adam Raki: Yes.

      Beth Buchwald: Adam, I'd like you to give me a hug.

    • Connections
      Edited into Adam: Alternate and Deleted Scenes (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      A Friendly Face
      Written by Flipper Dalton

      Performed by Flipper Dalton

    User reviews82

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Profoundly sensitive and instructive movie for those with AS and without
    I've needed to see this movie ever since I heard about it's existence, unfortunately it was not given a proper release in the UK, so I had to wait for the US DVD to come out. It's a film about a relationship between a man with Asperger's Syndrome (Adam) and a young woman (Beth). As I have Asperger's Syndrome and I heard that this movie was well made I was understandably interested. I have tended in the past to find movies and TV shows portraying autism absurd. Fortunately this was not the case here.

    The level of observation here was really very good, small things like how Adam doesn't look at people in the face, how he becomes agitated at work over comments that his boss makes that are meant to be humorous or confidence building (I am used to blank stares from my performance planner when I take things the wrong way).

    At one point Adam trembles behind his bedroom door when he is being asked to come out to a social event from the other side, pretending he is not there. I've done that myself. He reminds me of me when I was at university. Food fads is another, Adam has Macaroni Cheese every night of the week. Currently I have a chicken Kiev with raw mushrooms and yellow peppers pretty much every night of the week.

    Although he's very talented, he only managed to get the electrical engineering job he holds via his father convincing the boss to hire him. I was never able to convince anyone that I was worth hiring, even though I have a degree from Oxford. After several terrible years following university, I managed to get a job in an office where the head of the office was my brother-in-law. I can do the job well, and am even being promoted, getting in the door is the hard part. In the UK at least, employment rates for people with Asperger's Syndrome are upsettingly low. The idea of selling oneself in an interview doesn't work, and when you're up against people who will bend the truth to get ahead, it's really difficult. That's another good thing the film picked up on, honesty. If you're tired of guys lying to you ladies, pick up an Aspie.

    I was personally moved a lot by the beginning of the movie and the end of the movie. There's an excellent introduction using the story of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Saint-Exupéry as a metaphor. I knew at this point that it was going to be a good movie, it is perhaps the most tactful and tender approach to the subject that there could be. I won't spoil the ending of the movie, but from reading what other people have said, it's very easy to mistake what is happening, obliquely, I will recommend that you concentrate on an incident concerning boxes.

    I'm a few years older than Adam, and readier than he is, but love has never come my way, as there are not many Beths out there, and being 6ft 7 tall and also stocky I am not exactly of the "non-threatening male" physique typified by Hugh Dancy in this movie. My way of boring people to death with over detail is film, and even though I know that people don't want to know I will still start telling them about the history of film starting in 1888 (or if I'm feeling more loquacious, starting with Muybridge). The stupidest cosmological one I do (like Adam), is explain how novae happen in binary systems with a red giant and white dwarf. More recently I have started telling people why Sirius flickers ;) People think I am trying to make them feel stupid or inferior, which is absolutely not the case, but I still do it even though I know this, I just can't stop myself.

    As an autistic, I felt that this movie was extremely tender, but also very educational and instructive, I felt almost like I was a chick being feathered off a tree limb for the first flight. "Adam" does not aim at staggering mise-en-scene, it is not an Antonioni movie, but it is possibly the worthiest film you can see. The worst thing about Asperger's is that there are many people who will tell you, even straight to your face, that it doesn't exist, even a doctor I knew was pretty much of that opinion. People associate mental disability with physical impairment, and because there is none with Asperger's (except sometimes clumsiness, or "gangliness"), for a lot of people it just doesn't register, even though there are defined and recognisable developmental symptoms. This film, in a way, is an acknowledgement that it does exist, and is proof if ever I was cynical enough to believe otherwise, that films can change the world.
    helpful•146
    5
    • oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx
    • Feb 14, 2010

    FAQ4

    • Is "Adam" based on a book?
    • What is Asperger syndrome?
    • Are there any other films the deal with Asperger's?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 28, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Fox Searchlight (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Adam: Hugh (2009)
    • Filming locations
      • Portland, Oregon, USA
    • Production companies
      • Olympus Pictures
      • Deer Path Productions
      • Northwood Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,277,396
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $68,377
      • Aug 2, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,037,173
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy in Adam (2009)
    Top Gap
    What is the Brazilian Portuguese language plot outline for Adam (2009)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.