When it comes to love, there's something to be said for coyness and restraint. That first shy flirtation, the growing expectancy, the hidden impatience, the thrilling building hints of mutual desire - what would great love be, without these exhilarating beginning stages? And yet - what if you were completely inept in, even physically incapable of, exhibiting romantic nuance? What if entendres sailed blindly over your head? If you couldn't read facial expressions, or pick up on the subtext of tone of voice?

"Adam" is a love story about two attractive, New York twentysomethings - hardly an original premise in romantic comedy land. But just as Beth (Rose Byrne) meets Adam (Hugh Dancy) and goes from simply seeing a cute romantic prospect to realizing that something may be…off, so we quickly deduce that "Adam" is not going to be your typical romantic comedy.  

It's not until a third of the way through the movie, when Adam asks Beth point blank in his living room whether a walk they shared "sexually excited" her, does the truth come out: Adam has Asperger's Syndrome. Essentially a high-functioning autistic, Adam has difficulty expressing emotion, making eye contact or intuiting what people are thinking. Naturally, this does not make him prime relationship material. And yet, enter a relationship they do, and their pairing makes for one of the most moving, genuine, romantic films I've seen all year.

Seeing the world through Adam's eyes is in some ways seeing it for the first time, which is part of the reason Beth falls in love with him. He's passionate about space and the universe, setting up a planetarium in his living room to explain the cosmos to Beth and rattling off space theory to overwhelmed guests at a cocktail party. There is real pathos and grace in the way Beth, a product of high education and upper class, navigates Adam's condition, resting her hand on his arm to let him know when he's talking too much or offering to role-play to prepare him for a job interview. She's not starry-eyed in her love for him, nor does the film glamorize their relationship. When Adam loses his temper in one scene, he becomes like a hysterical child, unable to control himself, and we see the fear and awareness dawn on Beth's face that she is dating someone who is not wholly adult.

There are many moments like this in the film - honest grace notes that deal frankly and beautifully with what this kind of relationship entails, for both parties. The soundtrack adds to the lushness, featuring hushed, lonely tracks from artists like Joshua Radin, The Weepies and Miranda Lee Richards. And the ending is pitch-perfect - intriguing, unresolved and full of hope. Adam would not beat around the bush, and nor will I: I absolutely loved this film. If you like your romance authentic, unique and full of moments both heartbreaking and heartwarming, "Adam" is one of the best you'll see this year.

"Adam" is playing now through Thursday at the State. For tickets and showtime information, click here.

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