Go get em Sam
 Aug 20th, 2003
(Aug 22nd, 2003)
Advantages:
Funny heartwarming film
Disadvantages:
sad society we live in
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
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Characters / Performances
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  herby30
About me:
I'm behind with my alerts, I will catch up, please bear with me, Heather :o)
Member since:27.03.2003
Reviews:165
Members who trust:185
Review rated by 35 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
I Am Sam is a film about a father with the mental age of a 7 year old. Sam (Sean Penn) works serving coffee at Starbucks, and has befriended and given a home to a homeless girl.
When she falls pregnant Sam is over the moon, but when the girl gives birth to the child, the mother flees as they are leaving the hospital, all she wanted was a place to stay. Sam is a big Beatles fan and names the baby Lucy Diamond (Dakota Fanning). He arrives home with Lucy Diamond, his neighbour Annie (Diane West), who has became a recluse due to her own issues, helps Sam with Lucy. She shows him how to cope with a baby and advises Sam on what Lucy needs to be cared for correctly.
Sam loves life and always sees the best in people, he has a group of friends, who in the film are referred to as retarded, they believe strongly in helping each other, what seems to be important to them is that they are all there for each other and their fun nights together. Lucy grows and all seems to be well in their lives together, until Lucy reaches 7 and other kids are starting to notice that her father is different, although Lucy seems to be a well balanced happy child, she feels slightly embarrassed by her father and starts to deny him.
The school notices changes in Lucy as she is starting to hold herself back in school as she does not want to make her father feel stupid by being more intelligent than him. The school then call on Social Services who take Lucy away and place her in a foster home. Sam’s struggle begins, all the odds are against him, so the friends are all frantic and out of the phone book they discover a solicitor firm, Sam makes an appointment with Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer), who then tells him he cannot afford her services and dismisses him. But Sam not understanding this correctly pursues her and Rita ends up feeling embarrassed into taking the case on Pro-Bono (Free).
Rita’s own life is in turmoil, but on the surface she seems very professional and very successful although her home life is a disaster, her husband’s busy having affairs and her son, who she never seems to have the time or the energy for, just ignores her feeling unwanted and unloved, although Rita is frustrated that she cannot connect with her son, she gives up trying, severe lack of communication issues going on. They take on the Social Services and it leaves you wondering what is up with the world we live in. All that is important to Social Services is that Sam is not capable because they feel he is disabled. But in Sam’s world all you need is love and determination and you will find a way.
Rita’s world is rocked because Sam makes her see a more simple lifestyle as everything to him is black and white, he teaches her how to relax and love life and she helps him with the fight to win Lucy back. It is a heart-warming film that leaves you questioning what is right and what is wrong, an original chick flick, although my hubby agreed with me when he said it’s a film for everyone.
Sean Penn plays an outstanding role (equalling that of Dustin Hoffman in Rainman) as Sam and well done to Michelle Pfeiffer for a great performance.
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![I Am Sam [DVD] [2002]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78519585.jpg)
04.12.2003 16:42
That was a great write up.
18.10.2003 10:32
I enjoyed this film immensely too, one of Sean Penn's greatest performances. I think the ending was a little short of being audience-pleasing, as I felt it would have been great if Pfeiffer had married Penn...and then they would have had a sure-fire chance of winning back his daughter. :)))))
28.09.2003 02:42
I loved this film!