I Am Sam (2001)
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34% of critics liked it
(143 reviews) -
87% of users liked it
(277,330 ratings)
Sean Penn stars in this drama as Sam Dawson, a developmentally disabled adult who has been working at a coffee shop and raising his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) for seven years. Sam receives help in his parenting duties from a circle of trusted confidantes, including his ADD-afflicted best friend… More Sean Penn stars in this drama as Sam Dawson, a developmentally disabled adult who has been working at a coffee shop and raising his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) for seven years. Sam receives help in his parenting duties from a circle of trusted confidantes, including his ADD-afflicted best friend Ifty (Doug Hutchison), the paranoid Robert (Stanley DeSantis), an agoraphobic neighbor (Dianne Wiest), and his other disabled pals, Brad and Joe (played by real-life developmentally challenged actors Brad Silverman and Joseph Rosenberg). Although he provides a structured and loving environment for Lucy that includes regular visits to IHOP, video nights, and karaoke, Sam's daughter is beginning to surpass him in mental acuity. When Lucy begins intentionally stunting her own growth so as not to hurt her beloved father, social worker Margaret (Loretta Devine) takes action, removing the girl from her home and placing her in the temporary care of a foster mother, Randy (Laura Dern). As the day of his hearing looms, Sam seeks out the aid of driven, obsessive lawyer Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), who takes the case only to prove to her colleagues that she is willing to accept pro bono work. Opposed by county lawyer Turner (Richard Schiff) in court, Rita gradually comes to care for her client and his daughter, even as they force her to consider the limitations of her own abilities as a parent. The soundtrack for I Am Sam (2001) gained considerable critical attention, consisting entirely of Beatles cover songs by such contemporary artists as The Black Crowes, Eddie Vedder, the Wallflowers, and Aimee Mann, among others. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jessie Nelson
- Written By
- Kristine Johnson, Jessie Nelson
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Dec 28, 2001 Wide
- Studio
- New Line Cinema
Critic Reviews
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Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Penn repeatedly hits the ball out of the park, but the rest of the team never gets past first base.
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Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
It's a sensational performance, and [Penn] illumines a movie that sometimes seems in danger of descending into modish Hollywood political correctness.
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David Edelstein, Slate
On one level, I Am Sam is a crock, but on another, more vital one, it's very, very sweet.
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Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
Plays out in such a conventional manner that it feels like a TV movie of the week from the '70s.
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
For a movie that probes the sensitive issue of living with reduced mental capacity, are the creators of Bambi the obvious choice?
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Sean Penn
as Sam Dawson
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Michelle Pfeiffer
as Rita Harrison
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Dakota Fanning
as Lucy
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Dianne Wiest
as Annie
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Loretta Devine
as Margaret Calgrove
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Richard Schiff
as Turner
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Laura Dern
as Randy Carpenter
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Brad J. Silverman
as Brad
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Joseph Rosenberg
as Joe
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Stanley de Santis
as Robert
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Doug Hutchison
as Ifty
- Mary Steenburgen
- Caroline Keenan
- Chase Mackenzie Bebak
- Mason Lucero
- Scott Paulin
- Kathleen Robertson
- French Stewart
- Ken Jenkins



