I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not because wanting to be someone else is a...
I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not because wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. K.C R.I.P
Member since:24.12.2002
Reviews:6
Well I gotta say this is one heck of a film! I don’t think I can think of anything that was wrong with it or made me think “Man, you just messed up the movie”. I think the issues that were dealt with were serious factors that do exist in society today and cause unhappiness to many people and, unfortunately, satisfaction to others.
I enjoyed watching the characters in the film, especially Sam (Sean Penn) who never went wrong and knew how to conduct himself in the film correctly and effectively. Everyone in the film was amazing and you could clearly see that they all had their hearts in the project and it was more than just a film. I can honestly say that all the characters in the film were inspirational and they all had something about them which contributed to the overall effect of mezmorization that a viewer encounters.
CHARACTERS Sam Dawson – Sean Penn (Mystic River, 21 Grams) A forty-three year old, California born, Oscar winning actor who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, plays the beautifully innocent role of Sam. First watch
Sean in Mystic River and then watch him in I Am Sam and you will instantly notice the amazing transformation he undergoes from the very first second you see him on the screen. Oh, and he ain’t bad lookin’.
Rita Harrison – Michelle Pfeiffer (What Lies Beneath, One Fine Day) A forty-six year old, California born beauty who doesn’t look forty-six! She has been in some great films and has starred alongside some amazing talents. Michelle plays the role of a kick-ass lawyer with her own family dysfunctions which look minute against that of her pro-bono clients’, Sam.
Lucy Diamond Dawson – Dakota Fanning (The Cat In The Hat, Uptown Girls) A ten year old… yes… you heard me… ten years old! An amazing miniature actress, she possesses every quality required for a Hollywood actress of today. Let me put it this way, if you like(d) Haley Joel Osment, then you will love this girl. There is a six year gap between the two but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were related! I’m speechless… she was great in this movie… and any other movie I’ve seen her in.
Sam’s Gang: Ifty – Doug Hutchison (Con Air, The Green Mile) Doug, to me, is one of those actors that you see everywhere but you never know the name of, but now I know his name. He is phenomenal in this with his Rain-Man mannerisms which we all know are every entertaining (Dustin would be proud). This part is different to other roles he plays; he has effectively proved to us that he has no limits.
Brad and Joe – Brad Silverman and Joseph Rosenberg (Curb your Enthusiasm) The thing with these guys is that they really have to deal with the negative consequences of the deficiency which they possess as portrayed in the film. I think the director made a good call when she decided to hire two guys who were the real thing. I definitely have respect for these guys. Brad has also been in Quantum Leap (remember that!?!) and that made me say “Ohhhhh! That’s where I’ve seen him before!. Anyway they were both great and they both got to stay up into the early hours of the morning (which they’ve never done before).
They story itself deals with the situation of Sam and his beautiful daughter Lucy, who as she grows older becomes increasingly intelligent eventually overtaking her fathers intelligence span. Soon enough Lucy gets taken out of her father’s hands unwillingly. Then the father and daughter must endure a painful legal battle with the state in order for them to reach a conclusion on whether Sam is fit to parent a child.
The overall question as the movie progresses is on whether a child requires intelligence from a parent or just plain, simple, unadulterated love (which she was initially getting). I’ve decided that I’m not going to give away too much of the storyline due to the fact that I find it easier to form my own interpretation of a film when I watch it without any pre-hand info. I don’t want you to see the film as I did and rather as you will do with your own thoughts and opinions and no unnecessary influence.
In conclusion, I think this is a film worth watching so if you haven’t already seen it you must go watch it! I just regret not watching it on cinema, the big screen, where I could have soaked up much more from it. Oh well. So you shouldn’t be reading these last few lines now because I would’ve expected you to have rushed to your nearest film purchasing outlet and bought yourself two copies of the movie, including the backup copy incase anything happens to the first copy. Be sure to keep it in a fire proof box at least ten meters away from the first copy at all times… just incase.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1983 - Drama - Director: Jerry London - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: John Gielgud, Raf Vallone, Christopher Plummer, Gregory Peck
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Martin Brest - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Marcia Gay Harden, Jake Weber, Claire Forlani, Jeffrey Tambor
I have rarely seen such an exceptional review as this one, coming from a new member, just makes it even more valid. You have captured the spirit of the film, without once giving the ending away. I only hope I havn't used up my "E's" because this really deserves it. Love Lisax
HighPriestess 28.06.2004 22:01
Excellent review - thanks :O)
purplelynne 28.06.2004 20:32
I think Doug Hutchinson also played Tooms in the X Files. Lynne x
Sean Penn and Michelle Pheiffer give career-defining performances in this humorous and ... more
heartwarming story about a mentally challenged father who enlists the aid of a high-powered attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter.An all-star supportin...
![I Am Sam [DVD] [2002]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78519585.jpg "I Am Sam [DVD] [2002]")
exceptional by (10%):
very helpful by (90%):
