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A NEW FILM 'ADAM' TO BE RELEASED SHORTLY

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Just watched the trailer of a new release in the States - a RomCom called 'Adam' about a man with Aspergers. Looks like it will be really good and funny too. It was also advertised on Lorraine Kelly's show this morning. I think its only just been released in the States so dont know when it will be here.

 

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/adam/

Edited by vicbee

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I've seen the trailer for this and I'd be interested to know what other adults with AS felt about the portrayal (admittedly I haven't seen the whole thing to get a balance yet).

 

The thing that really grated with me was the way Adam was acted - I'm assuming he's played by someone acting as they presume someone with AS would :wacko: - particularly his monotonous voice. I know this is sometimes referred to in literature on AS/ASDs but I think it is over/mis-interpreted on occasions.

 

I know/have spoken to quite a few adults with AS; none of them I would describe as 'monotonous'. In fact, the people I know who I might describe as monotonous are not on the spectrum!

 

It's one thing (of many) that I really like about Snowcake; the central character doesn't speak like she just came out of casting for Rainman, Forest Gump et al. :notworthy:

 

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i saw the trailer for this a couple of weeks ago. not too sure about it

 

would be interested in seeing the whole film though.

 

 

 

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I've seen the trailer for this and I'd be interested to know what other adults with AS felt about the portrayal (admittedly I haven't seen the whole thing to get a balance yet).

 

The thing that really grated with me was the way Adam was acted - I'm assuming he's played by someone acting as they presume someone with AS would :wacko: - particularly his monotonous voice. I know this is sometimes referred to in literature on AS/ASDs but I think it is over/mis-interpreted on occasions.

 

I know/have spoken to quite a few adults with AS; none of them I would describe as 'monotonous'. In fact, the people I know who I might describe as monotonous are not on the spectrum!

 

It's one thing (of many) that I really like about Snowcake; the central character doesn't speak like she just came out of casting for Rainman, Forest Gump et al. :notworthy:

 

 

Haven't seen the trailer yet, but I'll be getting it when it comes out on DVD (I don't go to the cinema). Yeah, the monotonous voice thing confuses me--I certainly don't have a monotonous voice. Snowcake is a fantastic film! I love it!

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I just tried to book my tickets to go and see this film, but they're not showing it at every cinema, only a few dotted across the country. Which, for the type of film it is and the subject it focusses on, I think is pretty poor. I'm very dissapointed that I might not get to see it. :(

Willow

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I just tried to book my tickets to go and see this film, but they're not showing it at every cinema, only a few dotted across the country. Which, for the type of film it is and the subject it focusses on, I think is pretty poor. I'm very dissapointed that I might not get to see it. :(

Willow

 

Thats a shame its only certain cinemas...poor definatly.

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I just tried to book my tickets to go and see this film, but they're not showing it at every cinema, only a few dotted across the country. Which, for the type of film it is and the subject it focusses on, I think is pretty poor. I'm very dissapointed that I might not get to see it. :(

Willow

It's the same as they did with Snowcake. Thankfully one of the London cinemas that is easy for me to get to and quite a nice quiet cinema (and cheaper too :thumbs:) shows these less well watched films so I'll be going to see it there. Might even put it on my planner for next weekend as I've got a lot coming up and a bit of down time would be good. :)

Edited by Mumble

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Just a wee thought...if the film industry wanted a character with AS why didn't they just cast an actor with AS?

 

Ho hum... :(

 

Bid :unsure:

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Just a wee thought...if the film industry wanted a character with AS why didn't they just cast an actor with AS?

Because people with AS are pretty normal and wouldn't be the stereotype that 'looks good on film'. If they had a person with AS who just acted it as they are themselves rather than adding in script-writers/directors additions, the result is likely to be a film whereby people say, 'well I thought he was supposed to have AS, didn't seem very AS to me'. Essentially it wouldn't sell.

 

People used to pay to go to freak shows. They wouldn't have gone if the 'freaks' weren't actually very freakish.

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Because people with AS are pretty normal and wouldn't be the stereotype that 'looks good on film'. If they had a person with AS who just acted it as they are themselves rather than adding in script-writers/directors additions, the result is likely to be a film whereby people say, 'well I thought he was supposed to have AS, didn't seem very AS to me'. Essentially it wouldn't sell.

 

People used to pay to go to freak shows. They wouldn't have gone if the 'freaks' weren't actually very freakish.

 

Um, don't really agree! :lol:;)

 

Granted, there may not be many actors with AS, but I bet there are some. I did a lot of drama productions at school (my 'Lady Bracknell' is still spoken of :o:ph34r::lol: ), and the career's teacher actually suggested a Drama degree, so it's not impossible for people with AS to be able to act.

 

I just think it's as potentially patronising as putting a physically able actor in a wheelchair rather than using an actor who is a wheelchair-user.

 

Bid :)

Edited by bid

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Um, don't really agree! :lol:;)

Sorry, I was trying to be ironic (if that's the right word) and failed completely!! :wacko: I can't explain properly what I mean but yes, your analogy does work to sort of say what I mean.

 

The trouble with AS is that however much we hate it there is a massive stereotyped understanding. People don't recognise AS in us because we don't fit the stereotype. Therefore directors wouldn't choose someone with AS because what would be seen on the screen wouldn't be that stereotype and so wouldn't be recognised by the mass public.

 

The only way it would work would be for an AS actor to over act and add on all traits to make the stereotype - thus defeating the object really.

 

Does that make it clearer? probably not... :wacko::lol: :lol:

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Well, it's called acting for a reason; if they used someone with AS it may as well be a documentary. Anyway, they usually cast the best actor who attends the auditions (depending on budget)--maybe there weren't any good AS actors :o

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Just a wee thought...if the film industry wanted a character with AS why didn't they just cast an actor with AS?

 

Ho hum... :(

 

Bid :unsure:

 

 

Granted, there may not be many actors with AS, but I bet there are some. I did a lot of drama productions at school (my 'Lady Bracknell' is still spoken of :o:ph34r::lol: ), and the career's teacher actually suggested a Drama degree, so it's not impossible for people with AS to be able to act.

 

I just think it's as potentially patronising as putting a physically able actor in a wheelchair rather than using an actor who is a wheelchair-user.

 

Bid :)

 

Disagree - sorry!

 

I''m sure ther are actors around who happen to have AS - and if they are any good at the job, they should be able to portray a wide range of individuals. Someone with AS is firstly an individual - are any two people on this forum who happen to have a dx of AS, alike? Any actor worth their salt would be aiming to create a person, first and foremost. To portray a character convincingly it's necessary to invent a complete inner life for them - it's not enough to aim for a generalisation based on one particular feature. Why should an actor with AS have any more insight than an NT (so called) actor, into a fictional character who happens to have AS along with a load of other quirks, traits, relationships, experiences, likes and dislikes?

 

I don't see anything wrong with allowing a "non disabled" actor to portray someone with a disability, and vice versa as long as they can convincingly look the part and be the character. I think it's more patronising to pick an actor primarily because of their disability, rather than because of his/her talent as an actor.

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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Disagree - sorry!

 

I''m sure ther are actors around who happen to have AS - and if they are any good at the job, they should be able to portray a wide range of individuals. Someone with AS is firstly an individual - are any two people on this forum who happen to have a dx of AS, alike? Any actor worth their salt would be aiming to create a person, first and foremost. To portray a character convincingly it's necessary to invent a complete inner life for them - it's not enough to aim for a generalisation based on one particular feature. Why should an actor with AS have any more insight than an NT (so called) actor, into a fictional character who happens to have AS along with a load of other quirks, traits, relationships, experiences, likes and dislikes?

 

I don't see anything wrong with allowing a "non disabled" actor to portray someone with a disability, and vice versa as long as they can convincingly look the part and be the character. I think it's more patronising to pick an actor primarily because of their disability, rather than because of his/her talent as an actor.

 

K x

 

:notworthy: You just saved me 15 minutes typing :notworthy:

I remember there was a similar debate when Daniel Day Lewis was chosen to play the lead in My Left Foot.

 

my 'Lady Bracknell' is still spoken of
but is it in a good way? :whistle::P

 

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but is it in a good way? :whistle::P

 

Glad you said it Pearl, not me! :lol:

 

 

Would love to play Lady B - I've always wanted to say:

 

 

In a Handbag?????????? :)

 

K x

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Glad you said it Pearl, not me! :lol:

 

 

Would love to play Lady B - I've always wanted to say:

 

 

In a Handbag?????????? :)

 

K x

 

Mr p's Canon Chasuble is still talked about in northern am dram circles :lol:

 

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Mr p's Canon Chasuble is still talked about in northern am dram circles :lol:

There's no answer to that :whistle:

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I just tried to book my tickets to go and see this film, but they're not showing it at every cinema, only a few dotted across the country. Which, for the type of film it is and the subject it focusses on, I think is pretty poor. I'm very dissapointed that I might not get to see it. :(

Willow

 

yes i tried to get tickets to see it tomorrow night with my OH (he wants to see it too btw lol). we are both very angry that the closest cinema showing it is a 2-3 hour drive away!!

 

oh well...going to watch Moon instead :thumbs:

 

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I went to see this tonight and I have to say I was surprised and really enjoyed it. It was a nice uncomplicated film (otherwise know as very little plot...:lol:) for a Sunday evening.

 

I was concerned before I went especially from the trailer about how AS would be portrayed but I needn't have been. To me it appeared to have been very well researched and was quite a subtle portrayal - in fact I'm not sure that people without a fuller understanding of AS would pick up on quite a few of the things.

 

The only major stereotypes were actually put in to be viewed as stereotypes (that would probably only make sense seeing the film) - so the school SENCO (one of the characters is a primary teacher who asks the SENCO for advise) coming out with an awful statement about how AS people can't be relationship material and the very outdated assumptions of the girl's father. Oh and the reference to Forest Gump :lol: :lol:

 

So, I would recommend it overall. I did find some bits upsetting as some of his difficulties were very very close to mine and I found some bits quite upsetting in terms of his reactions. At one point he finds out he has been lied to and I can see looking in that it really was a tiny lie of the type people tell all the time but I know that I have been in similar situations and felt exactly as he did - that essentially everything came crashing in and I didn't know who I could trust anymore. :tearful:

 

The soundtrack was good too and the words to the chosen songs really fitted what they were trying to convey.

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great glad ya enjoyed it mumble, i think i will watch it when it comes out on DVD

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apparently this film isnt popular thats why it isnt showing in the cinema where i live, but does this new film Adam have a book about the film it be useful to me if it did.

It depends what you mean by popular. I read a number of the mainstream reviews of this film (ones that appear in newspapers, film-review sites etc) and they were pretty bad, didn't like the film etc. However, it is my belief that the film was too subtle and that with the exception of a few stereotypes didn't draw on what people (general public) often think autism is. It actually links in well with the discussion had in another thread on a film script because this didn't draw on the obvious.

 

I think for individuals on the spectrum and their carers who have a good understanding and will spot the subtleties it would be good - otherwise it does lack a plot and some of it doesn't necessarily seem to make sense (because I understood his reactions I made sense of it but someone without that insight may not see the relevance of parts).

 

It's like Snowcake which to me is a very good film - that was also shown in very few cinemas. Unfortunately the content of these films just isn't going to appeal to a wide audience - I went to a central London multi-screen cinema to see it but there must have only been about ten people watching (perfect bliss, no heads in front of me, no talking, no one next to me :clap: :clap: :lol:)

 

Oh and it was written as a film so there isn't a book, although I suppose a book could be written afterwards. :)

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It depends what you mean by popular. I read a number of the mainstream reviews of this film (ones that appear in newspapers, film-review sites etc) and they were pretty bad, didn't like the film etc. However, it is my belief that the film was too subtle and that with the exception of a few stereotypes didn't draw on what people (general public) often think autism is. It actually links in well with the discussion had in another thread on a film script because this didn't draw on the obvious.

 

I think for individuals on the spectrum and their carers who have a good understanding and will spot the subtleties it would be good - otherwise it does lack a plot and some of it doesn't necessarily seem to make sense (because I understood his reactions I made sense of it but someone without that insight may not see the relevance of parts).

 

It's like Snowcake which to me is a very good film - that was also shown in very few cinemas. Unfortunately the content of these films just isn't going to appeal to a wide audience - I went to a central London multi-screen cinema to see it but there must have only been about ten people watching (perfect bliss, no heads in front of me, no talking, no one next to me :clap::clap::lol: )

 

Oh and it was written as a film so there isn't a book, although I suppose a book could be written afterwards. :)

 

exactly it wouldnt even show up in empire cinemas it wont show up in any of my local cinemas

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exactly it wouldnt even show up in empire cinemas it wont show up in any of my local cinemas

It's currently on at 4 Odeons - 3 in London/Greater London and one in Manchester.

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The wife and I were invited to a 'press screening' of this a couple of weeks ago with a view to being interviewed for the press afterwards. Large multiplex cinema, Broad Street, Birmingham, just us, all on our lonesome :thumbs: Would generally agree with what Mumble has said about it above. I enjoy rom-coms (I must admit) and found this to be much more enjoyable than I feared. The problem with attempting to portray AS in Movie Format is that the same portrayal will be too obvious for some whilst being too subtle for others. I found a couple of things personally annoying (like the monologue explaining what AS is - necessary to the unininitiated, patronising to the educated and the emphasis on non-eye contact) but genuinely feel that people with AS will not be offended (as has so often been the case before) by Hugh Dancy's illustration whilst NTs shouldn't feel totally alienated by the subject matter either.

 

As a film, it is not a never-to-be-forgotten thought-provoker but is inoffensive fayre. I expect it will probably end up on weekday television matinee lists - you know, those easy-watching, heartstring-tugging types of film that you can have on in the background whilst doing the ironing. More a cup of coffee and a slice of cake event than a litre of fizzy drink and popcorn one.

 

For the record, the result of our interview (including all the usual minor errors and taking stuff out of context) can be seen HERE.

Edited by LicklePaulie

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