I am Sam (PG-13)

Moving film with great acting seems too contrived.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
3
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Directed By: Jessie Nelson
  • Release Date: 01/25/2002
  • Genre: Drama
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: language and tense situations

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has the requisite one f-word, now standard in PG-13 movies, and some other mild language. There is a stong reference to adultery. Lucy's mother is a homeless woman who deserts her after she is born. Some children (and adults) will find the custody conflicts and discussion of parenting issues upsetting.

Families can talk about what Sam should do to give Lucy everything she needs. What problems are they likely to have as she gets older? What did Rita learn from Sam, and why was it only Sam who could teach it to her? A number of the people in the movie struggle with parenting issues -- there has never been a court proceeding in history that permitted such discussion of the family lives of all the participants and witnesses. How do you see those struggles in the families around you?

Message

Social Behavior:

A theme of the movie

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

None

Violence

None Tense family situations

Sex

Mild references to out of wedlock pregnancy, adultery

Language

Brief strong language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

In I AM SAM, Sam Dawson, a retarded man who wipes the tables at Starbucks, decides to fight for custody of his daughter, Lucy (Dakota Fanning). Although Lucy's mother, a homeless woman, leaves right after Lucy is born, Sam does just fine at first, with help from an agoraphobic neighbor (Dianne Wiest). Sam also gets some help from an entourage of retarded pals, and all goes along pretty well until Lucy, at age seven, begins to surpass Sam intellectually. When Family Protective Services try to take Lucy away, Sam gets intense lawyer Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer) to help him. And sure enough, she learns from Sam to take time to smell the roses and play with her own son.

Is it any good?

3
If only the filmmakers had trusted the material and the audience a little more, then I am Sam would not feel so manipulative and dishonest. But by making anyone who thinks that maybe a child needs more than a retarded parent can provide look like a monster, they turn the characters into cardboard. The glowing last scene, with Sam performing in a role that is clearly beyond what he has been shown to be capable of, is just phony. Yeah, I cried, but I was annoyed about it.

But Sean Penn gives a first-rate performance here, and Michelle Pfeiffer holds her own. In smaller parts, Dianne Wiest, Richard Schiff, Mary Steenburgen, and Laura Dern are all very fine as well, and the soundtrack of Beatles songs recorded by some of today's best artists, is a genuine treat. The real miracle of the movie, though, is tiny Dakota Fanning, who gives a performance of such sincerity, subtlety, and delicacy that she almost carries the entire movie herself.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 2 reviews.

Age 13+
5


Posted on 10/29/07 by DexterSmith Adult contributor

Brilliant (though sad) film; Penn, Pfieffer, and Fanning shine.

I Am Sam tells the story of Sam Dawson (Sean Peen), a mentally challenged man who works at IHOP. He is given the surprise of his life when he realizes that he must take care of a child (he accidentally got a homeless woman pregnant when she slept with him). He names the child Lucy Diamond Dawson (Dakota Fanning), after a Beatles song. On her 7th birthday, authorities take away Lucy, thinking that she will have a more successful life if she is parented by someone who isn't mentally challenged. Sam must now fight for his right to maintain custody of Lucy with help from his lawyer Rita (Michelle Pfieffer). This movie contains strong language for a PG-13. There are several utters of "b*tch", "hell", "g*ddamn", and one use of "f*ck". The movie also contains some sexual content (Rita's husband has sex with other women, Sam gets a homeless woman pregnant by accident, a hooker comes on to Sam in a restaurant) and heavy commercialism for IHOP, The Beatles, and Nickelodeon. Despite its confusing ending (we don't learn whether or not Sam regains custody of Lucy), I Am Sam is a wonderful movie that I whole-heartedly recommend to everyone.
Age 17+
4


Posted on 10/09/03 by jumpinbini Adult contributor

I liked this movie mainly because of the way it portrays people who are mentally disabled. I feel that when people think of the mentally disabled that they automatically think that they are incapable of many things. This movie shows that there are many fully functioning people who are mentally disabled. Another message that I took from the movie is that sometimes people get wrapped up in their work and lose sight of things that are important to them such as their children or their marriage. And sometimes it takes a step back to see the bigger picture. A good movie about love and the great lengths that people will go to retain it.

Adult Reviews

There are 2 reviews.

Age 13+
5


Posted on 10/29/07 by DexterSmith Adult contributor

Brilliant (though sad) film; Penn, Pfieffer, and Fanning shine.

I Am Sam tells the story of Sam Dawson (Sean Peen), a mentally challenged man who works at IHOP. He is given the surprise of his life when he realizes that he must take care of a child (he accidentally got a homeless woman pregnant when she slept with him). He names the child Lucy Diamond Dawson (Dakota Fanning), after a Beatles song. On her 7th birthday, authorities take away Lucy, thinking that she will have a more successful life if she is parented by someone who isn't mentally challenged. Sam must now fight for his right to maintain custody of Lucy with help from his lawyer Rita (Michelle Pfieffer). This movie contains strong language for a PG-13. There are several utters of "b*tch", "hell", "g*ddamn", and one use of "f*ck". The movie also contains some sexual content (Rita's husband has sex with other women, Sam gets a homeless woman pregnant by accident, a hooker comes on to Sam in a restaurant) and heavy commercialism for IHOP, The Beatles, and Nickelodeon. Despite its confusing ending (we don't learn whether or not Sam regains custody of Lucy), I Am Sam is a wonderful movie that I whole-heartedly recommend to everyone.
Age 17+
4


Posted on 10/09/03 by jumpinbini Adult contributor

I liked this movie mainly because of the way it portrays people who are mentally disabled. I feel that when people think of the mentally disabled that they automatically think that they are incapable of many things. This movie shows that there are many fully functioning people who are mentally disabled. Another message that I took from the movie is that sometimes people get wrapped up in their work and lose sight of things that are important to them such as their children or their marriage. And sometimes it takes a step back to see the bigger picture. A good movie about love and the great lengths that people will go to retain it.

Kids Reviews

There are 0 reviews.

There are no kids reviews.

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