Asperger's Syndrome: Did Adam Get It Right?

Adam is a love story about a young man with Asperger's who begins to venture out of his routine for the first time in his life after he loses his job and meets a woman that really likes. The film has been met with mixed reviews. The L.A. Times called it a "most welcome summer treat" and USA Today said it was "a cut above most romances," but others, like Salon calling it "predictable." As with any movie that depicts someone with a unique condition, people also debate whether it was an accurate portrayal. Film Threat said, "None of these movies ever come close to accurately depicting what it's like to to live with mental challenges." The reviewer, Jessica Baxter, went on to say of Adam's depiction of Asperger's, "I'm not buying it."

So, there are two questions: First, is it a good movie? Second, did they get the portrayal of Asperger's right?

First, I can tell you the movie is good. It's well-written, well-acted, and engrossing. The characters are believable and you feel drawn into a world that feels real and lived-in. I'd give it a B+, but I could be talked into an A-. It's definitely on the recommended list for the year.

Now the second question of whether it was an accurate portrayal of Asperger's. The answer to that question is also yes. On metacritic, a man named Michael posted a review of the film saying, "As a person with Asperger's, I think this movie is completely accurate in depicting what the disorder is like. I think it is safe to say that the Film Threat reviewer does not have the disorder, otherwise she would realize how well the writers and the actor, Hugh Dancy put this character together." I agree with him. Not everyone with Asperger's is the same, of course, but the movie did an excellent job of nailing the problems with eye contact, the anxiety in social situations, the rigidity, the tendency to overfocus on certain topics, the overly literal understanding of language, and the tendency to miss social cues. It was well-written and well-acted in a way that had nuance and real affection for this character. Congrats to writer-director Max Mayer and Hugh Dancy, for his extraordinary performance. If you want to see a strong depiction of Asperger's--or if you just want to see a sweet, well-made film--go see Adam.