Adam the First

Oakes Fegley, a name familiar to many Person of Interest fans despite his brief three-episode stint as Gabriel Hayward, has carved out a surprisingly successful film career since then.

Adam the First starts off promising enough, but it took an unexpected turn that left me scratching my head. The film abruptly veers into Christian territory, transforming what could have been a compelling narrative into something that feels a bit preachy. While I appreciate stories with religious themes, I'm not a fan of films that come across as overt propaganda, regardless of the political or religious viewpoint.

It's not uncommon for American and Canadian actors to appear in such films, and it seems even the beloved David Duchovny couldn't resist. However, his presence is disappointingly minimal, barely justifying his name in the credits. It's as if he had a personal connection to the project and simply wanted to lend his support, because his impact on the film is negligible.

Fegley, on the other hand, delivers a commendable performance, showcasing the talent that has propelled him to success. He manages to shine even when the script falters, bringing a depth and authenticity to his character that transcends the film's shortcomings.

Despite its missteps, Adam the First isn't a complete disaster. The cinematography is visually appealing, capturing the natural beauty of the Mississippi setting. The film also boasts a few genuinely touching moments that resonate emotionally, even if they are overshadowed by the heavy-handed religious messaging.

In the end, Adam the First is a mixed bag. It's a film with potential that ultimately falls short due to its overemphasis on religious themes. It's a shame, because Fegley's performance and the film's visual appeal deserve better. If you're looking for a thought-provoking drama, you might find something to appreciate here, but be prepared for a dose of Christian messaging that might not be to everyone's taste.

It started with promise and Duchovny was great. But after the first 20mins and the setup it just got worse and worse, scene by scene.

Other than Duchovny there wasn't much good acting, the dialogue and the reaction from Adam was bizarre and just didn't make much sense. Very poor writing and directing.

It really did seem like the writter/director had a begging for a film and that was it, they just winged it from there on.

You really just start wishing the film will end. Then to make things worse it breaks down into a vomit inducing musical number for the final scene.

There is really no need to waste time watching this.

This one will tear your heart out. It waits until the end, though. I like how they managed to build it up, and keep you guessing, until the very end when they just slam it down on ya in the most unexpected way. I mean, I went into this knowing that it was going to be sad and tragic, but it ended up being so much more than I could've ever imagined. The ending is genuinely shocking.

It starts out pretty disgusting. It fools you into thinking this is going to be a different kind of movie than it turns out to be. I wouldn't say it was perfect. There were moments where it just rushed and skipped over a whole lot, and it felt a bit jarring when it did that. Also, there are some parts which were a little bit of stretch, like what happens to his grandfather. It's just a movie, though. Overall, it turned out pretty good.

I felt that Mr. X Files did a decently convincing job. It certainly didn't seem like the sort of role he would play. I thought he felt a little bit off, but did an adequate job. Considering how much of a mess he managed to avoid, I think it was a good performance. The woman playing the wife, though. She should go back to waiting tables. Fortunately, this experience was brief enough, and the rest makes up for it.

The men who played his not-the-father did a really good job, all of them. The scenery and set design was all very immersive and believable. The ambiance of his surroundings played a strong role in how I felt about the situation. I grew up around some of that, and thought it all felt really convincing. I would say they got it pretty accurate, alright.

Oakes, however, did the most amazing job. He's always been such a good actor, and really good at endearing himself to the audience, and making you care about him. He can break your heart with just his facial expression, alone. Or, he can make himself so incredibly charming with his smile. He has some real talent, and he did a phenomenal job in this film. He kept me captivated from beginning to the very end. I can't wait to see more movies starring him. I sure hope they make some, soon.

If, like I did, you're thinking you might find this movie boring, then let me assure you that it was never a dull moment. It had car chases, armed robberies, and police escapes throughout. The whole thing is very scenic, and at times hideous, and other times beautiful. I kinda felt like Oakes was a little too pretty for this role, but I'm NOT complaining. He sure got really good looking in a hurry. I remember watching that interview he did after the Goldfinch and being blown away by how much he changed. Well, he did not disappoint.

I highly recommend this movie as one that'll keep you guessing until the very end, and leave you surprised and awestruck. The ending really caught me off guard. I'd like to see you try and keep those tears inside. Yeah, you just try it. I found that I couldn't possibly steel myself against all that. It turned out to be quite a story. I'll bet you'll enjoy it a lot more than you think you will.

Here is a script which opens with an unexpected scenario which elicits the "usual" sorts of expectations going forward. Now let's go to the end--after the credits roll--the very end of film and then think back over everything that's transpired. All expectations are turned inside out and upside down. Just as you start thinking you know where it's going there's just enough of spin to set you off balance with a surprise. It's not a perfect film --but it is one that makes you think a lot about human nature. And by the end there's a LOT to think about regarding human motives, intentions--and love. An unexpected pleasure for those who appreciate the unexpected instead of formula scripts. Oakes Fegley--yeah, he carries the film very well.

The film start well, although it is not an highly original plot. 14 year old Boy lives with his adopted parents, they get killed but before his adoptive father pass away he is given 3 names and three addresses of men that could be his biological father. Therefore the boy goes on a trek to find his real father and to find out why was he given away.

The acting was good from all involved. Oakes Fegley, who plays our main character Adam has been acting for a while now and he always deliver strong performances. My biggest issue with the film is purely on the writing side of things. Adam is never given any moment that shows he is capable of grief. At the start of the film we see that both his adoptive parents are murdered in front of his eyes yet they never give Adam any real moment where he shows any grief, this makes it look like he is moving on from those death very fast and it is a bit unrealistic. Same go for later in the film when another pivotal moment whom you would expect Adam to show some sort of emotional turmoil but the writing makes it look like Adam just do not feel anything and moves on swiftly from tragedies. It is just odd. At least at the very end of the film we finally get to see him shows some emotion at the reveal of his birth parents and Oakes Fegley delivers. Again this is not Oakes Fegley fault but the writing for not giving Adam a few seconds where we get a glimpses of his current state of mind following some rather tragic stuff happening to him. The big payoff at the end when we find out the truth is also rushed and again the fact that it is rushed coupled with the fact that the writers just did not give Adam enough real character moments throughout the film, makes that ending a little underwhelming when we should be really moved by it. Aside from that the boy journey had real potential. The three different beats of the film as Adam check out his three potential father were interesting but not really used to their full potentials. So much more could have been done. I did not dislike the film but I really wanted to feel more. It really lacked any emotional punch except maybe from the very final scene. This film is deserving of a 5 out of 5. Not bad, not great. Still worth a watch on a Sunday afternoon but do not expect to be swiped out of your feet emotionally by it.