The adaptation of the 1988 film has finally hit the stage.

The story follows two brothers who are both void of emotion in different ways, one through being at odds with his own life and the other through living with severe autism. The audience are invited into the ups and downs of the journey of both characters, as one becomes aware of a world outside of his hospital and the other starts the production hoping to exploit his disabled brother’s genius, yet ends up learning to love him.

Josh Hartnett plays the role of Charlie Babbitt, a car dealer based in Los Angeles who appears to know little about the meaning of love and relationships. Hartnett is at times enchanting to watch on stage, managing to capture the aggressive nature of Charlie’s character, who does appear to be in a bad mood all of the time.

Adam Godley gives a remarkable performance as Raymond, a man with an amazing gift for memory and yet who lives in room that revolves around Judge Judy and television quiz shows. His sudden twitching, and attacks of panic every time his routine is changed are a constant reminder of how segregating autism can be for sufferers.

Godley’s performance is deeply touching without being overly sentimental, and it is a credit to his own acting skill that he appears to be in a world that is always a few seconds behind what is happening on stage.

Despite this, there are some surprisingly comic moments throughout this production. There is some amusing interaction between Charlie and Raymond which results in Charlie becoming increasingly frustrated with his inability to communicate with his brother. It seems that it is only Raymond who can redeem his brother and save him from a life of anger and obsession with material objects.

The reaction from the audience when Raymond reaches out to touch his brother’s hand for the first time proves that the production certainly is successful at tugging at the heart strings. This moment is especially poignant because it shows although there is no cure for Raymond’s autism, given time there is a chance that things will improve.

Dan Gordon’s adaptation for the stage makes for an excellent production; this is a show not to be missed.

Rain Man is currently showing at the Apollo theatre, booking until 20th December. Ticket prices range from £16-£47. To book tickets online click here.