Movies devoted to a person's malady of any kind can be risky. If they are handled like "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", then they are brilliant. But if they're anything like "Patch Adams", they're awful. "Adam" is neither brilliant nor awful --- it's a charming, romantic film with solid performances.

Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy) has just lost his father, whose death has left him alone in the world, except for his building maintenance man, Harlan (Frankie Faison). Adam suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, so his father's absence has created quite a hardship for him as he now has no one to assist him with the minutiae of daily life.

He and his father shared a rather large apartment in New York City on the upper West Side. Beth Buchwald (Rose Byrne) has recently moved into his building at the behest of her father, Marty (Peter Gallagher). Beth and Adam meet in the laundry room, and at first she doesn't quite understand Adam's peculiarities. In the meantime, Adam loses his job and must face the realities of being alone and the disadvantages afforded him by his
disorder.

I know David wasn't that thrilled with this movie, but this is coming from a guy who actually liked "Bruno". Writer/Director Max Mayer does an excellent job laying out this bittersweet love story without any unnecessary schmaltz or sappiness. We really believe that Beth and Adam can be a loving, committed couple, whether it turns out that way or not.

Dancy is definitely up to the task of portraying this lonely, handsome young man with a debilitating syndrome, but he never overplays Adam. Byrne is very lovely and compassionate as Beth. Gallagher has an interesting role as the overbearing, protective Jewish father caught in his own web of deceit. Amy Irving does her usual quiet, yet effective, turn as Beth's mother, Rebecca, who counsels her to follow her heart despite her own disappointments.

In a summer full of loud noises and R-rated comedies, "Adam" is a welcome respite. David will tell you to wait for video, but I disagree. It's worth going to the theater to watch on the big screen, especially for the sumptuous scenes of New York.

Opinion: See It Now!