Cast: Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson, Frances O'Connor, Charlotte Bradley, Rosaleen Linehan, Tommy Tiernan
Director: Gerard Stembridge
Producers: Anna J. Devlin, Marina Hughes
Screenplay: Gerard Stembridge
Cinematography: Bruno de Keyzer
Music: Mary Finlay
U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
Is it a mere coincidence that Miramax Films has dusted off About Adam shortly after Kate Hudson took home a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award? If posed with this question, I'm sure Harvey Weinstein would chuckle and remark that it's a happy accident. Being of a cynical nature, I'm not so sure. About Adam had its World Premiere more than a year ago at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, but, since then, it has lingered in limbo. Now, with one of its stars suddenly a hot property, Miramax has elected to bring the film out of the closet.
There's no denying that Hudson is cute, but we knew that from her earlier work (Desert Blue, in particular). But attractive actresses are a dime-a-dozen in Hollywood, where who you know is more important than what you can do. Hudson, of course, has a pedigree - she's the daughter of Goldie Hawn and the step-daughter of Kurt Russell, and that has opened a number of doors. It wasn't until Almost Famous, under the strong direction of Cameron Crowe, that she showed more than the mixture of vulnerability, innocence, and luminescence which comprised her career to that point. As Penny Lane, she blossomed. About Adam is pre-Almost Famous, and, while one can argue that Hudson shows the promise of talent, it doesn't go much further. About the only thing proves here without a doubt is that she isn't capable of doing a consistent or credible Irish accent.
That being said, About Adam, from Irish director Gerard Stembridge, is instantly and immediately likable. But that's all it is. About Adam is a romantic comedy that's...well... about the chameleon-like Adam (Stuart Townsend), a seemingly perfect Irish guy. Or, to be more precise, it's about the effect Adam has on the people who are close to him. He's a reverse vampire -- he comes into the lives of others and breathes energy into them (rather than sucking it out). He's a wish fulfiller and a fantasy realizer. He breaks down barriers and siphons off inhibitions. In short, he's the perfect man, because he doesn't have much of a personality to call his own. He becomes what his current partner/paramour wants him to be. Women mold Adam into their image of the flawless mate.
When Lucy (Kate Hudson), a sprightly waitress with a song on her lips and in her heart, meets Adam, she gives up her "man-izing" ways and wants to settle down. Lucy and Adam seem like the perfect couple, but, in reality, he's not as faithful as she believes. While engaged to Lucy, he's sleeping with both of her sisters and her brother's girlfriend. (And, to top it all off, said brother is also attracted to Adam). But he's not doing this out of lust or nastiness (not that having sex with all those beautiful women is a sacrifice) - he's a good Samaritan who's just trying to help them all find happiness. Stembridge sees the irony of the situation and brings it to the fore with good cheer and a wink and a nod at the audience. His script is peppered with mildly amusing moments, but few that are uproarious. There are times when the movie feels like it should be funnier than it actually is.
The acting is a mixed bag. Townsend is affable as Adam - a quality that is critical to the film's succeeding on any level. (If we dislike Adam, nothing works, and the project becomes a mean-spirited bomb.) The female leads aren't as impressive. As Lucy, Hudson is uneven. Frances O'Connor, who plays Lucy's uptight sister, Laura, is a little better (although her character is a pure stereotype) - and, like Hudson, she stumbles her way through the accent. Charlotte Bradley's Alice gives us the best realized of the three sisters.
The film's structure, which repeats the same time period from four different perspectives, becomes tiresome after the second or third go-through. Although every episode expands the overall canvas by introducing new incidents, there comes a point when we want the narrative to move forward, not keep sliding sideways. There's too much repetition amidst the new information, and that leads to a sense of stagnation. (This is not, after all, Rashomon.) Each segment adds to our knowledge of the female characters, but Adam remains an enigma, and that's the point. In the final analysis, About Adam is as inconsequential as it is pleasant. Like cotton candy, it's sweet and ephemeral, but doesn't offer real satisfaction. Then again, these days, it is becoming increasingly rare that a cinematic endeavor can boast much more.
© 2001 James Berardinelli