Review of I Am Sam (2014) by Dana D — 01 Aug 2010

Brief Plot: Sam is a mentally retarded father fighting for custody of his 7-year old daughter. Seven year old Lucy's (Fanning) teachers and the child protective services fear that Lucy, who is intelligently capable of learning, will not be able to apply herself with a father who has the capacity of a 7 year old. Sam and his friends (all having some sort of developmental or psychological problem) search for a lawyer (Pfeiffer) to help him keep his child.

I have absolutely no words to explain the power of this movie. But, I shall do the very best I can. This was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful films I have ever viewed. I watched it with high expectations, and I was amazed beyond belief. I was so moved by the respect and reverence the writers, producers, and actors assigned to each role. I have never watched a movie so stripped of Hollywood, a movie so raw and meaningful.

I cannot even describe the performance of Sean Penn, as you would have to see it for yourself to understand it. He is incredible, his character so believable and, surprisingly, so relatable. Penn handles his role of a mentally retarded father with absolute dignity. His interpretation of a man with mental disabilities spoke up for every underestimated, unappreciated, and unnoticed human suffering from intellectual or developmental limitations.

Michelle Pfeiffer. This is by far my favorite role Pfeiffer has taken on--and believe me, I have seen many of her movies. Pfeiffer manages to transform her heartless, self-centered character in an extraordinarily believable manner. She is one of those actors that can relay a story, emotion, or thought through only her eyes. And for those audience members who ever once held prejudice, who ever once looked down upon those who were different, she allowed them to change with her, to become better and to finally see.

And, Dakota Fanning. Wow. I have never seen such preciseness and perfection in any other child's acting role. Though some call her a "diva" or doubt her ability to act, it is impossible for me to believe that anyone can watch her in this movie and not connect deeply with her character. The father-daughter dynamic in this film is amazing.

I knew this movie would be sad, but I am not one to break down crying over a cheesy romance. But with this movie, I got fourteen minutes through it before I was bawling. And not because someone died of cancer or was separated from the one they loved, rather, because I was so touched by the simplicity of love. And I cried almost straight through the rest of the movie. And no matter how many times I have viewed this film, I break down every time. "It's ok, daddy. It's ok. Don't be sorry. I'm lucky. Nobody else's daddy ever comes to the park.".

I can hardly believe this was a low-budget film. The only thing that bothered me was the poor quality in which it was shot. The jerky camera and constant cuts were intentional, yet a little irksome. However, the dizzying scene in which we see the courtroom through Sam's confused eyes is an exception, as I found that a great perspective to view from.

My favorite scene is one in which Rita (Pfeiffer) looks at Sam (Penn) for the first time as a human. He tries on her husband's suit and tie for his "big day" in court, and when she turns to look at him, her eyes change. As she helps him knot his tie, her touch is not one of repulsion. Rather, Rita realizes that this man, in all his disabilities, is perhaps more of a man than the most intelligent and capable businessmen she knows. And, at that moment, her worldview changes.

In conclusion,I have never and shall never see anything as unique as this film. This one is special. This one is timeless. "Love is all you need.".