Try as you might, you can’t choose your neighbors. I think this is God’s way of testing our patience, particularly for our protagonist Roger (Patton Oswalt), who for the longest time tolerated his next-door neighbor Adams (Fred Armisen) in Tom Stern’s short film Adams.
Roger always thought Adams was weird, but things come to a head when one day Roger finds Adams (in a sleep-like state) standing in his kitchen in his underwear, while his two children were upstairs. Roger’s protective instincts take over, and he immediately starts wonking on Adams and then he throws him out of the house.
“Roger’s protective instincts take over, and he immediately starts wonking on Adams…”
The enraged Roger can’t let Adams’ intrusion go. He makes several attempts to confront Adams about his behavior and finds passive-aggressive ways to get back at him. Everything soon spirals into an all-out war…at least in Roger’s mind.
I love so many things about Adams. First, from the get-go, the film just takes off at a rapid pace. There’s just no chance to catch your breath until the end. Patton Oswalt is at his lovable, sympathetic best. Fred Armisen is equally brilliant as Adams and in a role that only Armisen can play. The comedy builds, sympathies shift, and its glorious ending is a culmination of ordered chaos. Buckle your seatbelt and enjoy the ride.
Adams screened at the 2019 HollyShorts Film Festival
"…brilliant as Adams and in a role that only Armisen can play"
