IFF Review - ADAM (Directed by Max Mayer)

Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne are the anchors of writer-director Max Mayer's wonderful film, Adam. Byrne plays Beth, an aspiring children's author who moves into the apartment upstairs from Dancy's Adam, who lives alone following the death of his father and is suffering from Asperger's syndrome, a neurological disorder that makes social interaction difficult.

Both characters share a common loneliness and eventually their friendship blossoms into relationship that the other desperately needs. Both make the other complete and both of their lives change simply by opening up their hearts to one another.

Both Dancy and Byrne give phenomenally affecting performances and their charm is luminous throughout. The supporting cast of Frankie Faison, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving and Mark Linn-Baker is equally impressive.

Adam is a charming, exceptional story and reminds us that, "finding love is very important, but loving is the necessity."