'90s drama about dysfunctional family has mature themes. Though critics have been unkind to "I Am Sam," it's worth noting that the courtroom proceedings of the movie have caused Harvard Law School to arrange a screening of the film to discuss the child's best interests in such a case as well as the various tactics the characters use to convince Sam's ability to function as a father. She loved this raw movie. But as Lucy grows up, Sam's limitations as a parent start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. 'I Am Sam'- Assessment Sam is the main character in 'I Am Sam'. Sam (Penn, in an Oscar-nominated role), a neurodivergent man, has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy (Fanning) on his own. The film means well, but each scene gets clobbered by sappy screenwriting. See our. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. As the movie makes abundantly clear, the cards are massively stacked against someone like Sam in a situation like this, so a happy ending like this might come across as a bitHollywood-y. This movie does a great job in portraying what its like for a person who is developmentally delayed and I think it would be a great injustice to want to shield children away from this. I Am Sam. Other children bully her for having an intellectually disabled father, and she becomes too embarrassed to accept that she is more advanced than he is. You can't have heroes and villains when the wrong side is making the best sense. Questions arise about Sams ability to care for Lucy and a custody case is brought to court. Sean Penn does as well as can be expected with Sam, but it is painful to see an actor of his fire and range locked into a narrow range of emotional and intellectual responses. Randy assures him that she will tell the judge he is the best parent for Lucy. Penn's brother, Michael Penn, is also featured on a duet with his wife Aimee Mann. [6] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F.[7], A. O. Scott of the New York Times wrote that "I Am Sam is not a bad movie, and its intentions are unimpeachable. I Am Sam (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2001 American drama film co-written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with an intellectual disability, Dakota Fanning as his bright and inquisitive daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer. As they work to secure Sam's rights, Sam helps Rita see her own life anew. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama. Drama. But its sentimentality is so relentless and its narrative so predictable that the life is very nearly squeezed out of it. In I AM SAM, Sam Dawson (Sean Penn), a mentally challenged man who wipes the tables at Starbucks, decides to fight for custody of his daughter, Lucy (Dakota Fanning). Winner. "[5] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 28 of 100 based on 33 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". The film launched the career of child actress Dakota Fanning, who was then seven years old and had only acted in two small roles. Regal As Lucy turns seven and begins to intellectually surpass her father, their close bond is threatened when their unconventional living arrangement comes to the attention of a social worker who wants Lucy placed in foster care.CREDITS:TM \u0026 Warner Bros. (2001)Cast: Dakota Fanning, Sean PennDirector: Jessie NelsonWHO ARE WE?The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Other characters (two of whom are actually developmentally disabled) give insightful performances that may enlighten older kids and teens about people with special needs. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Sam's role is a mentally retarded male, with a mental capacity of a seven year old. Download. The implication here, of course, seems to be that of a "happily ever after" scenario, but it's worth noting that this is also a very handy moment for a movie to fade to black. Read critic reviews. He has a daughter with a homeless woman; she abandons them as soon as they leave the hospital. Privacy Policy Cinemark [3] The film's title is derived from the lines "I am Sam / Sam I am" of the book Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, which is included in the movie. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! 2001 American drama film by Jessie Nelson, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor, Satellite Award for Best Actor Motion Picture Drama, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer, Satellite Special Achievement Award for Outstanding New Talent, Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film, Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, "I Am Sam (2001) Financial Information", "Vedder, Crowes Cover Beatles for 'I Am Sam', "Movie Review 'I Am Sam' A Retarded Man Tries to Keep His Child", "In 'I Am Sam,' Skillful Players Embrace a Heartfelt Family Tale", "Penn plays sad 'Sam' / He's full of integrity as retarded father", George Harrison: Living in the Material World, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Am_Sam&oldid=1141650730, Films about fatherdaughter relationships, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth Actress, Special Achievement Award for Outstanding New Talent, Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under, Allison and Jillian Thormahlen as infant Lucy, Felicity Ann and Makindra Sherry Forbes as 18-month-old Lucy, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 03:24. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. Coming Soon. Hey, it's the first time in history that a man has been arrested on sex charges for talking to a woman in a diner before any clothes have come off, money has changed hands, or services have been discussed. For example, he's sitting in a diner when an attractive young woman smiles at him. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Jessie Nelson and Kristine Johnson, who co-wrote the . Im truly surprised that a couple of parents left reviews that they thought theres too much bad language especially those with teenagers. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and 76. Dianne Wiest, Loretta Devine, Richard Schiff, and Laura Dern appear in supporting roles. We search near and far for original movie trailer from all decades. This movie has flaws, but this movie touched me. "I don't want to read if you can't," she tells him. Sam moves so he is near Lucy, so she continually leaves in the middle of the night to go to his apartment, though he immediately returns her. Fast forward a few years, and Lucy is in her teens, which Sam and his tight-knit social circles most of whom have some form of developmental disability or mental health issue are likely unprepared to deal with. A female character swears occasionally: one use of "f--k," along with numerous instances of "goddammit," "hell," and other mild epithets. "I Am Sam" is aimed at audiences who will relate to the heart-tugging relationship between Sam and Lucy (and young Dakota Fanning does a convincing job as the bright daughter). Against the odds, I Am Sam was a hit. On her eighth birthday, child protective services take her away from Sam. ", "Col. Frank Slade has a very special plan for the weekend! Sean Penn. Synopsis. In attendance are Lucy's former foster family, Sam's friend group, and a newly single Rita with her son. ", "One man's extraordinary fight to save the family he loved. The soundtrack was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. Drama about autistic savant has profanity, mature themes. Sam Dawson (Sean Penn), a mentally challenged man with a mind of a child, is living in Los Angeles and is single-handedly raising his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning), whom he fathered from a homeless woman who wanted nothing to do with Lucy and left him the day of her birth. Sam has the kinds of problems that come up in story conferences more than in life. Just confirm how you got your ticket. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Not long ago a veteran moviegoer told me that when he sees an actor playing a mentally retarded person, he is reminded of a performer playing "Lady of Spain" on an accordion: The fingers fly, but are the song or the instrument worthy of the effort? the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. [4], On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 35% based on reviews from 145 critics, with an average rating of 4.77/10. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. In 1993, Samuel Dawson, a Starbucks barista with an intellectual disability, becomes the single father of Lucy Diamond Dawson, named after The Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", following their abandonment by her mother, a homeless woman with whom Sam had a sexual encounter. Apart from the main plot that deals with Sam's struggle to be a father to Lucy, "I AmSam"also prominently focuses on Michelle Pfeiffer's hard-boiled Rita, who enters the scene as a cold, work-oriented person who's clearly estranged from her family, as well as the majority of life's good things. At its worst, it actually causes us to alienate his character and hope that he doesn't end up with the kid after all. A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family. Critics haven't been especially kind to "I Am Sam," and they've accused the movie of taking a complicated issue and simplifying it into an easily chewable Hollywood drama (via Rotten Tomatoes). He named his daughter after "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," and has learned most of life's lessons from Beatles songs. Retarded, maybe. What problems are they likely to have as she gets older? After a mentally challenged father is separated from his young daughter, he enlists a brilliant attorney to help him win back custody. You're almost there! I just watched it again but with my 12-year-old for the first time. In smaller parts, Wiest, Richard Schiff, Mary Steenburgen, and Laura Dern all are very fine as well, and the soundtrack of Beatles songs recorded by some of today's best artists is a genuine treat. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. Families can talk about what Sam should do to give Lucy everything she needs. I Am Sam - You're Not Like Other Daddies: Lucy (Dakota Fanning) asks her father (Sean Penn) many questions, including why he is different.BUY THE MOVIE: https://www.fandangonow.com/details/movie/i-am-sam-2001/1MV503827d68d756eed258997bb6709bdd2?cmp=Movieclips_YT_DescriptionWatch the best I Am Sam scenes \u0026 clips:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZbXA4lyCtqqC1XM_toE8g9ANdrQPgBfUFILM DESCRIPTION:\"I Am Sam\" is the compelling story of Sam Dawson (Sean Penn), a mentally-challenged father raising his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) with the help of a unique group of friends. Sam Dawson has the mental capacity of a 7 year old. See production, box office & company info. I Am Sam 2001 132 minutes 4.7 star 407 reviews 36% Tomatometer PG-13 Rating family_home Eligible info $9.99 Buy HD $2.99 Rent HD info Watch in a web browser or on supported devices Learn More. Afterward, she resides in a foster home with Miranda Randy Carpenter, but tries to convince Sam to help her run away. 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