About Adam

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
About Adam Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Charming but explicit love story for mature teens.

R 2001 105 minutes
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 17+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the movie has strong language, and fairly explicit sexual references and situations, including infidelity and (unconsummated) homosexual feelings. Characters drink, sometimes to excess, and they smoke. There are some tense scenes, but no violence.

Community Reviews

MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
May 26, 2010
age 12+
I think I'll be viewing this soon, but I wouldn't recommend it for children.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

ABOUT ADAM begins as a sweet, simple love story. A flirtatious waitress named Lucy (Kate Hudson) falls for a man named Adam (Stuart Townsend). All the other men in Lucy's life pursued her, but Adam lets her take the lead. Once she does, he is charming to her family, and a thoughtful and romantic boyfriend. She proposes to him in front of a restaurant full of people, including her whole family, and he accepts. Then the clock turns back and viewers see the same set of events through the eyes of Lucy' siblings, all of whom have romantic problems for which Adam seems to provide the ideal solution. Lucy's sister Laura (Frances O'Connor), a graduate student, dreams of a man with whom she can share the poetry that is so meaningful to her. Their brother David is about to explode with longing for his girlfriend, a virgin who says she wants to stay that way. And another sister, bored with her marriage, would like some excitement. Somehow, Adam provides it all, and then some.

Is It Any Good?

It's fun to see what is going on behind the scenes of the original story, and there are some sly parallels, as when different family members hear different stories about Adam's fancy car. The story could be cynical -- after all, it is about betrayal, deception, and infidelity. But Adam's ability to go straight to the heart of each person's desire gives it a whimsical, almost magical tone that keeps it as light as a bubble. Hudson has less of a star turn than she had in "Almost Famous," but she is bewitching, especially when she sings the standards that provide a nice ironic counterpoint to the various love stories.

And love stories they are. Adam is not manipulative and indeed might think of himself as happily manipulated by others. He is not trying to do anything but make everyone happy, and he has such a knack for it that even the audience cannot help being a little charmed.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Adam figured out what each member of the family wanted, and how the various secrets and lies around his involvement with each of them might create problems in the future. They might also want to talk about times when they have felt pressure to be something different in order to make someone happy.

Movie Details

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