A SWEET MOVIE AT THE MULTIPLEX

Since sweet movies have become so rare these days, “Adam” is definitely worth your consideration. Without a mean bone in its body, this picture written and directed by Max Mayer patiently takes us through some of the main difficulties encountered by those with Asperger’s syndrome.

Then Mayer proves a kind heart and a caring soul can make a world of difference. At bottom, “Adam” insists that honesty will always count for more than sugary sympathy.

Delightfully cast are Rose Byrne playing the caring girlfriend and Hugh Dancy as the young man with Asperger’s, a mental disorder considered to be a form of autism. Aspys (as they like to call themselves) can remember voluminous amounts of information. But the problem comes when they try to communicate that information to others.

Aspys lack the ability to shade the meaning of their conversations. Every word has one and only one literal meaning. Casual speech and playful idioms are impossible for the person with Asperger’s to understand. Straight talk is the absolute way to go.

While “Adam” is a much different film from “Rainman,” it is a film that revolves around a mental illness most people don’t know much about. “Adam” does its job of creating more understanding for Aspys without ever feeling like one of those desperate disease-of-the-week movies on TV.

We can genuinely care about Adam (Dancy) and Beth (Byrne) because both are trying so hard to be good people with sincere feelings for each other. Even when those feelings get them both in trouble we stay sympathetic. Byrne is particularly engaging as a beautiful young woman with a bright future in childhood education.

Her empathy with children is uncannily insightful. This gift makes her uniquely suited to understand Adam. But should she devote her entire life to one man, or spread her talents among the many kids whose lives could also benefit from her guidance.

Dancy has created an entirely new kind of screen personality. There is none of the usual gimmicky shorthand we associate with actors portraying mental illness. Whether or not his performance will please the experts on Asperger’s, we can’t say. But we can watch and say “Hey, I know someone like that.” Perhaps this means the syndrome is more common than we think.

“Adam” also reminds us about the universal need for love. Even under the best circumstances, falling in love is full of perils. Add the complications these two people face and you get a new appreciation for the complexity of human nature.

Above all else, “Adam” is a love story full of hope. While there is no shortage of sex and violence at the multiplex, you won’t find much hope. Like his biblical namesake, “Adam” offers a new beginning.