ADAM - New movie about someone with asperger's
I just watched this last night and I can't really decide what to think exactly. At times, I felt like I was watching myself, but at other times I was shocked by how over the top Adam got. Although to be fair, I don't think I've ever met any other aspies in real life myself.
SPOILERS BELOW....
.
.
.
.
.
.
In the end, I kind of feel like they gave the message that Aspies are incapable of loving and only care about themselves. Horrible message to send and it really pissed me off. You could say the whole thing helped change Adam, but after reading some reviews of the movie by normal people at other sites, that's not something anyone seemed to think or catch on to. So even if they had good intentions, they did an awful job executing them.
I saw it last night as well and i can`t say i`m too happy with it. Not that it`s inaccurate as such, and the actors i think do a really good job. The problem i see is mainly that people who don`t know much about AS might use this as template, the fact that AS people differ from each other almost as much as NT is completely unobvious judging from the film. And some of the more memorable scenes, for example when he snaps and starts throwing things around, can really be scary thus sending the wrong message. There is also the part just before the ending where she asks him why she should go with him. The answer he gives was really hard to watch for me, and i can only imagine it would have been a lot harder for the more "normal" people. Completely unable to love or just unable to express? You`d probably have to identify with him quite strongly to accept a more positive option of the two; and even then neither is good (enough) in "normal" world.
All in all i don`t think it`ll help either side, apart from bringing up the AS topic by itself (maybe mentioning the famous aspies is a nice touch). NTs might get the wrong impression and become even more affraid of aspies, and for aspies i don`t think the story is as hopeful as one would like.
By the way, why do they call this film a comedy? There are hardly any funny scenes at all (or is it just me?).
The problem i see is mainly that people who don`t know much about AS might use this as template, the fact that AS people differ from each other almost as much as NT is completely unobvious judging from the film. And some of the more memorable scenes, for example when he snaps and starts throwing things around, can really be scary thus sending the wrong message.
Agreed, I would never spazzO out in front of a woman , actually I wouldn't even spazzO out period (now that I'm medicated) 30++ years to late. Now I'm that AS male "dope" stereotype who's to mellow . I suppose it's better than been to uptight yes ?
I don't know, to me I just get the impression of a film that plays up negative stereotypes for dramatic effect, showing asperger's as a crippling mental disability.
That was my first reaction to the trailer, I have to say.
I haven't seen it yet. Just bought the DVD from Amazon (it is available as of today) so we'll see....
_________________
Solitude is impracticable, and society fatal.
-- Emerson
My wife and I rented Adam last weekend, and we were both a little bothered by the ending. I liked (and could relate to) the movie for the most part, but I found that Adam did a bit of explaining his behavior to the audience. My wife leaned over to me and said "a real Aspie wouldn't say that".
As for the ending, we found it to be a little pessimistic and discouraging. The message seems to be "don't waste your time attempting an AS/NT relationship". The message to the NT audience is "an Aspie won't love you back and won't be able to look you in the eye and you'll never know what they're thinking", which is nonsense. I love my wife and she's one of the only people that I can look in the eye. She knows I think the world of her, and she's been married to me long enough to have an idea of what I'm thinking and feeling in a given situation.
The message to the AS audience seems to be "a relationship with an NT is pointless because they will never understand you or have the patience to deal with your Asperger's". Again, that's so not true (for the same reasons as above).
"Adam" was a good movie, but it missed the mark at the end. It could have been a great movie. I'm looking forward to the day when there's a movie with a more positive outlook on AS/NT romances.
_________________
You're way too intelligent for my sarcasm.
As for the ending, we found it to be a little pessimistic and discouraging. The message seems to be "don't waste your time attempting an AS/NT relationship". The message to the NT audience is "an Aspie won't love you back and won't be able to look you in the eye and you'll never know what they're thinking", which is nonsense. I love my wife and she's one of the only people that I can look in the eye. She knows I think the world of her, and she's been married to me long enough to have an idea of what I'm thinking and feeling in a given situation.
The message to the AS audience seems to be "a relationship with an NT is pointless because they will never understand you or have the patience to deal with your Asperger's". Again, that's so not true (for the same reasons as above).
"Adam" was a good movie, but it missed the mark at the end. It could have been a great movie. I'm looking forward to the day when there's a movie with a more positive outlook on AS/NT romances.
Couldn't agree more with that. The message the ending gives is crap.
I saw it.
I really didn't like it. After watching the whole thing I have to say I still think the Adam character was creepy. The Beth character was also weird - I didn't particularly like either one of them.
Here's what I think about the ending - SPOILER ALERT - if you haven't seen this movie you probably shouldn't read this thread because those of us who saw it are going to talk about details you won't want revealed!
Okay - Adam did love her and did care about her and tried to express that. Frankly I thought he did a good job. I was surprised he was able to get that out. But she didn't get it. She thought he was just saying that he needed her - like he needed a maid or a mail carrier or a mover, etc. So her feelings were hurt that she didn't get more emotions out of him apparently and she said his reasons weren't good enough and she wouldn't go. Seems like she was feeling that he was just using her to make it easier on him to do the move and she didn't want to be used.
BUT then she writes this book and it has his name and features his raccoons that he shared with her and his exact words that he said to her in the park. So wasn't she just using him to get a book published???
Seems also like a relationship involves caring about each other and also some USING of the other person from time to time. You use them to help you for one thing or another. And you help them in return. But it seemed like the message was that she didn't want to be used by him so she just cut it off. But that didn't stop her from going ahead and using everything he gave her.
I think the girl, Beth, was alot like her crappy father. So Adam was much better off without her. Her loss.
The only scene that rang true for me was the meltdown and I cringed. I've lived that one. It was hard to watch.
All in all a pretty darn depressing movie.
_________________
Solitude is impracticable, and society fatal.
-- Emerson
Was anyone else really distracted by Adam's way of avoiding eye contact throughout? Specifically the way he almost constantly stared straight ahead, with his eyes unfocused, rather than finding something in his surroundings to focus on. I avoid eye contact just as much, but when I do it I'm always looking at things around me and like to think I at least appear to be awake. Adam, on the other hand, seemed to behave as though he was dazed and completely blind most of the time, which made it hard to believe there was much going on in his head.
OliveOilMom
Veteran
Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Age: 60
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,447
Location: About 50 miles past the middle of nowhere
I hadn't heard of this. I'm going to look and see if I can find it online, then I'll let you know what I think. I also didn't read the whole thread because I don't want to form an opinion first and then ruin the movie for myself.
_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.
The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com
ValentineWiggin
Veteran
Joined: 15 May 2011
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,907
Location: Beneath my cat's paw
Extraordinary due to the excruciatingly-cliche rom com "plot",
or the inability of film directors to depict people with Asperger's as anything other caricatures of Autism?
_________________
"Such is the Frailty
of the human Heart, that very few Men, who have no Property, have any Judgment of their own.
They talk and vote as they are directed by Some Man of Property, who has attached their Minds
to his Interest."
Similar Topics | |
---|---|
Question about Asperger Syndrome and tem "Severe Asperger" |
29 Jan 2024, 11:37 pm |
Help with identifying Sci Fi movie |
23 Apr 2024, 10:07 pm |
Is the movie Grease feminist? |
Yesterday, 11:53 am |
Anyone else a LOTR fan (Book and Movie) ? |
08 Mar 2024, 9:36 pm |