February 14, 2024
FILM: ADAM THE FIRST
DIRECTED BY: IRVING FRANCO
STARRING: OAKES FEGLEY, DAVID DUCHOVNY, T.R. KNIGHT
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When we first meet the title character in the new film Adam the First, he is living in a rundown trailer and spending his time chopping wood, riding a horse, and catching rabbits. The 14-year old lives with James (David Duchovny) and Mary (Kim Jackson Davis) who we learn in the opening scenes are not Adam’s real parents. During a confrontation with the police, James gives Adam three names, all of them the same (Jacob Waterson). One is Adam’s his real father. Adam then embarks on a journey to find out which one it actually is.
If this sounds like Mamma Mia, well, the narrative here is more dramatic and lacking in ABBA songs. (Although as a side note, at one point a character sings the song 50 Percent, which a favorite New York cabaret singer of mine, Lauren Mufson, sings regularly in her act. Mufson toured in the stage production as the mother in Mamma Mia. This can only be a coincidence…) In fact, this is a pretty serious journey but one that requires Adam to use many of the skills he learned from James. He meets each of the men and they are all very different, ranging from criminal to religious farmer. Adam learns something from each of them. He begins as an unafraid, resourceful boy who was influenced by society outcast James and then transforms into someone more spiritual, respectful, and emotional. Whether these changes are clearly earned within the plot may be a bit questionable but writer/director Irving Franco certainly makes a great attempt at convincing viewers that they are.
Part of this is due to the performance of Adam by Oakes Fegley (Pete’s Dragon, The Goldfinch, The Fablemans.) He is certainly a strong young actor who likely has a major film career ahead of him. As is evident from his work here, he can play confident, ruthless, determined, and emotionally affected very well. His character has the biggest arc throughout the film and the actor nails it.
Most of the name male actors from Duchovny to T.R. Knight and Larry Pine have smaller but effective roles. Each of their characters offers something insightful to Adam and while they may be a bit too good to be true at times, they certainly offer the fatherly guidance that Adam needs. Is it a coincidence that so many names of the characters are Biblical (Adam, James, Mary, Jacob?) Probably not as Adam is “the first” here in more ways than one and learns important life lessons and values from the others.
The plot moves a bit slowly until the early scene in which Adam is faced with a major decision to set off on his journey. From there, Franco offers moments of on screen action and tension but this is mostly a dialogue driven character study. Interactions between the actors are generally well directed although some of the female parts could have been better developed and more skillfully performed.
Ultimately this is a film about a boy in need of a father figure in his life. Each scene demonstrates just what he’s been taught by the influential men he encounters. Were this story to continue it could wisely follow the role women play in Adam’s life. For now, this is a pretty satisfying film that ends on a powerful emotional note for all.
Adam the First opens theatrically this week in limited release with VOD/Streaming available soon. Go to Electric Entertainment to find out where to see it.
FILM: ADAM THE FIRST
DIRECTED BY: IRVING FRANCO
STARRING: OAKES FEGLEY, DAVID DUCHOVNY, T.R. KNIGHT
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When we first meet the title character in the new film Adam the First, he is living in a rundown trailer and spending his time chopping wood, riding a horse, and catching rabbits. The 14-year old lives with James (David Duchovny) and Mary (Kim Jackson Davis) who we learn in the opening scenes are not Adam’s real parents. During a confrontation with the police, James gives Adam three names, all of them the same (Jacob Waterson). One is Adam’s his real father. Adam then embarks on a journey to find out which one it actually is.
If this sounds like Mamma Mia, well, the narrative here is more dramatic and lacking in ABBA songs. (Although as a side note, at one point a character sings the song 50 Percent, which a favorite New York cabaret singer of mine, Lauren Mufson, sings regularly in her act. Mufson toured in the stage production as the mother in Mamma Mia. This can only be a coincidence…) In fact, this is a pretty serious journey but one that requires Adam to use many of the skills he learned from James. He meets each of the men and they are all very different, ranging from criminal to religious farmer. Adam learns something from each of them. He begins as an unafraid, resourceful boy who was influenced by society outcast James and then transforms into someone more spiritual, respectful, and emotional. Whether these changes are clearly earned within the plot may be a bit questionable but writer/director Irving Franco certainly makes a great attempt at convincing viewers that they are.
Part of this is due to the performance of Adam by Oakes Fegley (Pete’s Dragon, The Goldfinch, The Fablemans.) He is certainly a strong young actor who likely has a major film career ahead of him. As is evident from his work here, he can play confident, ruthless, determined, and emotionally affected very well. His character has the biggest arc throughout the film and the actor nails it.
Most of the name male actors from Duchovny to T.R. Knight and Larry Pine have smaller but effective roles. Each of their characters offers something insightful to Adam and while they may be a bit too good to be true at times, they certainly offer the fatherly guidance that Adam needs. Is it a coincidence that so many names of the characters are Biblical (Adam, James, Mary, Jacob?) Probably not as Adam is “the first” here in more ways than one and learns important life lessons and values from the others.
The plot moves a bit slowly until the early scene in which Adam is faced with a major decision to set off on his journey. From there, Franco offers moments of on screen action and tension but this is mostly a dialogue driven character study. Interactions between the actors are generally well directed although some of the female parts could have been better developed and more skillfully performed.
Ultimately this is a film about a boy in need of a father figure in his life. Each scene demonstrates just what he’s been taught by the influential men he encounters. Were this story to continue it could wisely follow the role women play in Adam’s life. For now, this is a pretty satisfying film that ends on a powerful emotional note for all.
Adam the First opens theatrically this week in limited release with VOD/Streaming available soon. Go to Electric Entertainment to find out where to see it.