I Am Sam
January 25, 2002
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Plot
A mentally retarded 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.
Release Year: 2001
Rating: 7.4/10 (56,336 voted)
Critic's Score: 28/100
Director:
Jessie Nelson
Stars: Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning
Storyline
Sam Dawson has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old. He works at a Starbucks and is obsessed with the Beatles. He has a daughter with a homeless woman; she abandons them as soon as they leave the hospital. He names his daughter Lucy Diamond (after the Beatles song), and raises her. But as she reaches age 7 herself, Sam's limitations start to become a problem at school; she's intentionally holding back to avoid looking smarter than him. The authorities take her away, and Sam shames high-priced lawyer Rita Harrison into taking his case pro bono. In the process, he teaches her a great deal about love, and whether it's really all you need.
Writers: Kristine Johnson, Jessie Nelson
Cast:
Sean Penn
–
Sam Dawson
Michelle Pfeiffer
–
Rita Harrison Williams
Dakota Fanning
–
Lucy Diamond Dawson
Dianne Wiest
–
Annie Cassell
Loretta Devine
–
Margaret Calgrove
Richard Schiff
–
Mr. Turner
Laura Dern
–
Randy Carpenter
Brad Silverman
–
Brad
(as Brad Allan Silverman)
Joseph Rosenberg
–
Joe
Stanley DeSantis
–
Robert
Doug Hutchison
–
Ifty
Rosalind Chao
–
Lily
Ken Jenkins
–
Judge Philip McNeily
Wendy Phillips
–
Miss Wright
Mason Lucero
–
Conner Rhodes
Taglines:
love is all you need
Details
Official Website:
NZZ Online – Neue Zürcher Zeitung (German) |
New Line Cinema [United States] |
Release Date: 25 January 2002
Filming Locations: Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $22,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $67,418
(USA)
(30 December 2001)
(2 Screens)
Gross: $97,818,139
(Worldwide)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Dakota Fanning's character is named Lucy Diamond from The Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Michelle Pfeiffer's character's name is Rita Harrison, from the song "Lovely Rita" and the last name of Beatle George Harrison. Sam, Lucy, and Sam's friends walking across the street with the balloons is a tribute to the case cover of "Abbey Road". Sean Penn wanted the soundtrack to be all Beatles music, but was unable to get the rights, so he asked various artists to cover the Beatles songs he wanted to use. And in order for the re-recorded music to fit into the movie, each of the artists had to use the same tempo as the original Beatles songs.
Goofs:
Continuity:
In the very beginning shot, when Sam is sorting sugar packets in the holders, he puts the brown "raw sugar" packets in front. When he is shown setting the holders on the tables, the brown packets are in the middle.
Quotes:
Lucy:
[being observed]
I want no other daddy but you.
[turns to the glass]
Lucy:
[shouts]
Did you hear that? I said I didn't want any other daddy but him. Why don't you write that down?
User Review
stunning performances
Rating: 10/10
A Truly wonderful film that left you thinking and feeling for hours after
walking out of the cinema.
Michelle Pfeiffer is exact in her portrayal of the smart, rich, no-nonsense
lawyer who realises how empty her luxurious and successful life is. As
always she delivers an outstanding performance and reminds us of just how
excellent and beautiful an actress she is.
Sean Penn is so believable that you forget that he doesn't actually have
anything wrong with him…he captures every emotion perfectly and instills
all of that emotion in the audience. Penn is highly under rated in the world
that is movies, as he shows with this Oscar potential performance.
The young actress who plays his daughter is amazingly mature in her acting,
whilst always managing to capture the innocence of her youthfullness. On top
of all that she is gorgeous. The combination of three excellent main actors
combined with the supporting actors and the genuine theme and style of the
film makes I am Sam an excellent and must see film. Truly Inspiring.