Rain Man was a bittersweet big-screen hit, based on autism, acceptance and brotherhood. It has been given new life as a play, although bringing a road movie to the stage can be tricky to navigate.

The heartwarming 1988 film, starring Tom Cruise and Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman, was a crowd-pleasing smash.This play is more a tribute to the movie than a fresh take on the story and characters.

Following his father's death, a young hot-shot car salesman discovers he has a long-lost brother with autism and an amazing memory. Together, they set off on a journey of self discovery.

The play format means this week-long drive mostly becomes a series of conversations in varying hotel rooms. The car which belonged to their father – pivotal to the plot – is pointed to offstage.

Matthew Horne stars as Raymond, the brilliant-but-bumbling autistic savant. He takes his cues from Hoffman's celebrated performance, rocking back and forth while reeling off stats and figures in stacatto fashion.

Horne will be forever known to Welsh audiences as the star of Gavin and Stacey and the show drew a sizeable crowd at Cardiff's New Theatre.

Downton Abbey actor Ed Speleers, as Raymond's cocky younger brother Charlie, put in an impressive performance.

The laughing audience showed the script still hits the right notes three decades on.

Rain Man is at the New Theatre, Cardiff, until Saturday September 15.

By Declan Harte.