Adam (1983)

Truly Dreadful Film

Fresh and Exciting

A Masterpiece!

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

I was a bit worried about how to tastefully express my dislike of this mouldy old film without coming off like a thoughtless person who doesn't care about the true story of poor lost little Adam Walsh. Well I do care very much, that murder shocked and sickened me. But, I am not going to let that stop me from saying what I think of this "drama". It's okay not to like this movie, you know. You don't have to worship it just because you may have been moved by the story. It's not like you'd be disrespecting the kid's memory or anything. That's the impression that I get from some of the other reviews. I don't actually think it a bad movie, it was basically solid and well acted enough, but for me it was so very flat and darn boring. Crippling boredom was in fact the only real problem I had with it...:2: This isn't one of the best TV movies ever. It isn't the best anything ever. I've seen television dramas that are so moving and sad they'd tear your heart out. This miserable effort is an insult to all truly great TV movies. It was way too tedious to be either enjoyable or moving. Wait! It did move me just once. It was when Jobeth Williams breaks down near the start of the movie. It was as if nature itself could feel my intense displeasure with this movie. There was a storm and the damn signal went off, so I never even got to see the last 15 minutes! Didn't matter, I know how the story ends. I did not wish to wait until it was on again before I did this. Plus, there was no way in hell I could possibly have sat through it all again...:3: I consider the real John Walsh to be one amazing human being. Taking the terrible tragedy of his son's death and using all that anger and pain in a positive way and going on to to really make a difference when most people would have just quietly gone on with their lives. No father could ever have done anything better.:4: The case has certainly not been officially closed, and it never will be. No, that depends on whether or not you choose to believe the word of the very dead Otis Toole. The serial killers like him are far more frightening than any made up "movie maniac". Did the sick evil fiend really murder Adam? I don't know, I don't think anyone truly does, including his father. You read of the initial evidence and you think it's a sure thing, it sounds good, it reads good, but, small problem-he may not have done it. And then later, just for the sake of playing games I suspect, he takes it back and says he did not. And then you notice all the little inconsistencies and doubt starts to creep in. My attitude about that particular detail, now, because it really is so very long ago now, is what difference does it make. He was a little boy, and he died. What more is there to say?

I can remember watching this movie when I was about 6 or 7 years old and I can also remember the emotional impact that it had on me as I watched knowing that it was all based on a true story. The things the Walsh family has done over the years in response to what happened to Adam has really had an ENORMOUS impact on the way child abduction cases have been handled! The perseverance and determination of the Walsh family, such as John Walsh's role in the TV show America's Most Wanted and as co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has not only saved the lives of others, but has probably also deterred some from committing deplorable acts like what happened to their son Adam. John and Reve Walsh truly are heroes!

THe movie of Adam based on the tragic tale of Adam Walsh is heartbreaking. It chronicles the tragedy of a young boy's life who was snuffed out from under us. His death was not in vain because his parents became advocates for missing children in real life. The movie ends with photos of missing children. The tragedy of missing child is often worse than knowing their fate. This film is faithful to the story. Daniel J. Travanti and JoBeth Williams play Adam's parents and they could not have done a better job. THe film may be over 20 years old but it is still very effective in bring human emotion to a story like Adam Walsh. He became the symbol for missing children. When Reve is reading those letters from people who have been through the hell that the Walshes have been through, it is heartbreaking. Rather than wallow in self-pity, they pursue justice for others who have been through the same. THey realize that they are not the only ones. The Walshes lives changed forever when Reve went to inquire about a lamp at the mall. She turns around and their little boy is gone forever. I remember the scene where they go to the car, leave the doors unlocked, and prepare if Adam comes home. That's probably the most memorable moment in the film.

I remember when this TV movie aired I was in kindergarten and in fact my teacher even suggested that all of us small children watch this movie with our parents. Every parent with a small child feared that this tragedy would happen and what a nightmare it would have been to have a child abducted and murdered. The whole country was at this time bringing the missing children issue to the attention of people. All of this panic and awareness because of the abduction and murder of a little boy named Adam Walsh in Broward County, Florida. Thankful that this boys father John Walsh brought this case so much attention and awareness that a movie titled Adam was made for TV to expand the concern for children all across America. This movie is sad due to the death of a small child but brings a good message of awareness and concern for our children and any victim of crime for that matter. I wish some network would show Adam again I would like to see it over.