Another of the long stream of DVD's I have recently rented from my Blockbuster online membership is 'About Adam.' When I rented this film, I did not have a clue what it was about, I had just heard the name and was curious. Because the movies only come in a slipcase, there was very little telling me what I was about to see, and so this may have something to do with what I thought…Utter tripe.
I would warn you that there are plot spoilers coming up, but as there is no plot, and I strongly advise all of you not to bother with this film, we are safe to continue with me spoiling the decidedly-non-plot of this film
***"Storyline"*** *(note inverted commas) About Adam is set in Dublin, and stars Stuart Townsend (yes please) as Adam, a rather tasty young man who starts going out with Lucy, a very hyperactive Kate Hudson. She is utterly in love with him from day one, and he seemingly is with her, and her family love him too, so we go through a series of events in their lives, leading up to her proposal to him, which he accepts.
Then, we go through Laura's story. Laura is Lucy's plain Jane sister, played by Frances O'Connor (sho is actually quite pretty, but they dull her down significantly for the role), and as soon as Adam
comes to meet the family, she falls for him, unbeknown to the rest of the family. They have a series of meetings, where they 'bond' over poetry, one of Laura's great loves, until the inevitable happens and they accidentally fall in to bed (these things happen).
Then comes the brother, Simon, played by Tommy Tiernan (not a patch on Mr Townsend), who also thinks Adam is fantastic. Simon is primarily interested in getting his girlfriend Karen into bed, but she's a bit of a prude, and won't go for it. Until one night, Adam comes up with a master plan, which sneakily involves him giving Karen one when he stays over one night, thus turning her into a lusty nymp-het who can't get enough of Simon. So even though our poor Si' has to listen to the two of them getting down and dirty, he doesn't care two hoots because the results are stupendous.
As if the guy hasn't seduced enough people. Lucy, Laura, Karen, even Simon, and their mother (not physically, but mentally), he then goes for the older, married sister, Alice. Alice is very together and knows what's going on around her, and is completely aware of Adam's misdemeanours, but she still falls for him and she too gets a bit of a shagging.
***My Opinion*** So, plot wise, there isn't much. I spent the whole film waiting for some sort of confrontation or the discovery that Adam isn't really who Lucy thought he was (which was the tiny tit-bit featured on the slipcase). But it never came.
I started watching the film thinking that Kate Hudson would be the starring role, but this wasn't the case, the three sisters were more or less featured equally, which was lucky, because I've never heard a worse attempt at an Irish accent in my life, ever. Frances O'Connor is English too, so her accent is better, but not truly convincing
After watching the special features, the interviews with cast and crew,I kind of understood what the film was meant to be, which may make its erratic behaviour excusable. What they were TRYING to create was a Woody Allen type arty flick, not a film with a story. This makes more sense, and also excuses them from my previous complaints about the lack of plot. But this type of film doesn't really appeal to me, and so I found it pretty boring and a bit wussy.
Adam is overly charming, but a bit annoying by the end. I couldn't believe he was getting away with what he was doing, and everyone thought he was fantastic. He played the part well though, as we see him through Lucy's eyes (sweet, caring boyfriend), Laura's (poetic, passionate and misunderstood), and Alice's (a charming lothario younger man). He does however succeed in making all the girls happy. Lucy gets an 'adoring' hubby, Laura finally loosens up, and Alice gets the fling that she needs in between dealing with her p*ss-artist of a husband.
Unfortunately, as this film is meant to be a romantic comedy, it fails miserably. It is not romantic in that Adam is duping everyone involved, and dishonesty is never romantic, and it is not a comedy, because it simply isn't funny. I can remember merely smirking about twice, there were no smiles or belly-laughs involved.
***Cast and Details*** Stuart Townsend - Adam Kate Hudson - Lucy Frances O'Connor - Laura Charlotte Bradley - Alice Rosaleen Linehan - Peggy Tommy Tiernan - Simon Brendan F. Dempsey - Martin Kathleen Bradley - Karen
Director: and Screenwriter- Gerard Stenbridge Length: 105 minutes BBC Films 2001
***Extras*** Some badly edited interviews with cast and crew, the trailer to the film (misleading), and b-roll footage, which I didn't bother to look at, so cannot comment on, although other have reported, its rubbish.
***Availability*** I rented this film from blockbuster online, but it is available from Amazon.co.uk at £2.99, if you still feel compelled to watch, do not pay a penny more
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Comedy - Director: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Carol Cleveland, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Production Year: 2004 - Comedy - Director: John Hay - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jimi Mistry, Kate Miles, Dougray Scott
Jan 31st, 2006
very helpful by (87%):
helpful by (13%):
