I Am Sam
I Am Sam | |
---|---|
Jessie Nelson | |
Written by | Kristine Johnson Jessie Nelson |
Produced by | Jessie Nelson Richard Solomon Edward Zwick Marshall Herskovitz |
Starring | |
Cinematography | John Powell |
Production company | |
Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date |
|
Running time | 132 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $22 million[2] |
Box office | $97.8 million[1] |
I Am Sam (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2001 American
Nelson and co-writer Kristine Johnson researched the issues facing adults with intellectual disabilities by visiting the non-profit organization L.A. GOAL (Greater Opportunities for the Advanced Living). They subsequently cast two actors with disabilities, Brad Silverman and Joe Rosenberg, in key roles.[3] The film's title is derived from the lines "I am Sam / Sam I am" of the book Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, which is included in the movie.
The film received polarized reviews from critics and audiences. It grossed over $97 million at the box office, against a production budget of $22 million.
Plot
In 1993, Sam Dawson, a
In danger of losing child custody, Sam gets advice from his friends and also hires a lawyer, Rita Harrison, whose absorption in her work and neglect of her son reveals her to also struggle with her role as a parent. In an attempt to prove that she is not cold, Rita agrees to take on Sam's case pro bono. As they work to secure Sam's rights, Sam helps Rita see her own life anew. This includes encouraging her to leave her philandering husband and repair her fractious relationship with her son.
At the trial, due to pressure from the prosecutor, Sam breaks down after becoming convinced he is not capable of raising Lucy. Afterward, she resides in a
The final scene depicts a
Cast
- Sean Penn as Samuel John "Sam" Dawson
- Michelle Pfeiffer as Rita Harrison Williams
- Dianne Wiest as Annie Cassell
- Dakota Fanning as Lucy Diamond Dawson
- Amanda Lehaf as 4-year-old Lucy
- Elle Fanning as 2-year-old Lucy
- Felicity Ann Forbes and Makindra Sherry Forbes as 18-month-old Lucy
- Ryan Williams as 6-month-old Lucy
- Allison Thormahlen and Jillian Thormahlen as newborn Lucy
- Richard Schiff as Mr. Turner
- Loretta Devine as Margaret Calgrove
- Doug Hutchison as Ifty
- Laura Dern as Miranda "Randy" Carpenter
- Stanley DeSantis as Robert
- Rosalind Chao as Lily
- Marin Hinkle as Patricia
- Brad Allan Silverman as Brad
- Joseph Rosenberg as Joe
- Ken Jenkins as Judge Philip McNeily
- Wendy Phillips as Miss Wright
- Scott Paulin as Duncan Rhodes
- Kimberly Scott as Gertie
- Michael B. Silver as Dr. Jaslow
- Eileen Ryan as Estelle
- Mary Steenburgen as Dr. Blake
- Will Wallace as Bill Carpenter
- Jen Taylor as Woman Chauffeur
- Brent Spiner as Shoe Salesman
- Kathleen Robertson as Big Boy Waitress
Soundtrack
The
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 36% based on reviews from 146 critics, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The site's consensus reads: "Not only does the manipulative I Am Sam oversimplify a complex issue, it drowns it in treacle."[4] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 28 of 100 based on 33 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[5] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F.[6]
Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times reviewed it positively as a "most inviting and accessible film that turns upon a mental condition that most people would prefer not to think about."[10] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle commended Sean Penn for his performance: "Penn's accuracy, his lack of condescension or sentiment, and his willingness to inhabit his character without any implicit commentary take what might have been the equivalent of an inflated TV movie and elevate it to the level of art."[11] David Denby of The New Yorker, found Michelle Pfeiffer to be the standout: "Pfeiffer, enormously likable in the role, almost saves the movie."[12]
Accolades
Sean Penn was nominated for the
Dakota Fanning won the
The soundtrack was nominated for the
The film won the inaugural
Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards[13] | Best Actor | Sean Penn | Nominated |
Critics' Choice Awards[14] | Best Actor
|
Nominated | |
Best Young Performer
|
Dakota Fanning | Won | |
Grammy Awards[15] | Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
|
Nominated | |
Humanitas Prize[16] | Kristine Johnson Jessie Nelson |
Won | |
Japanese Academy Awards
|
Outstanding Foreign Language Film
|
Nominated | |
Las Vegas Film Critics Society[17] | Youth in Film | Dakota Fanning | Won |
Producers Guild of America[18] | Stanley Kramer Award
|
Jessie Nelson Edward Zwick Marshall Herskovitz Richard Solomon |
Won |
Phoenix Film Critics Society | Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth Actress | Dakota Fanning | Won |
Satellite Awards[19] | Best Actor
|
Sean Penn | Nominated |
Special Achievement Award for Outstanding New Talent | Dakota Fanning | Won | |
Screen Actors Guild Awards[20] | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Sean Penn | Nominated |
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Dakota Fanning | Nominated | |
Young Artist Awards[21] | Best Family Feature Film – Drama | Won | |
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actress Age Ten or Under | Dakota Fanning | Won |
References
- ^ a b c d "I Am Sam (2001)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
- ^ a b "I Am Sam (2001) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
- ^ "Vedder, Crowes Cover Beatles for 'I Am Sam'". billboard.com. November 6, 2001. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
- ^ "I Am Sam". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ "I Am Sam". Metacritic. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ "I AM SAM (2001) A". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
- ^ Scott, A. O. (December 28, 2001). "Movie Review – 'I Am Sam' – A Retarded Man Tries to Keep His Child". The New York Times.
- ^ Koehler, Robert (December 20, 2001). "I Am Sam Review". Variety.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (January 25, 2002). "I Am Sam". RogerEbert.com.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (December 28, 2001). "In 'I Am Sam,' Skillful Players Embrace a Heartfelt Family Tale". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ LaSalle, Mick (January 25, 2002). "Penn plays sad 'Sam' / He's full of integrity as retarded father". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ Denby, David (February 4, 2002). "I Am Sam". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ "74th Academy Awards". oscars.org. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "7th Critics' Choice Movie Awards and Nominees". bfca.org. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "45th Annual GRAMMY Awards". grammy.com. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "Humanitas Prize Nominees". Humanitas. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "2001 Awards Winners". www.lvfcs.org. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ McNary, Dave (January 6, 2011). "PGA honors Sean Penn with Kramer Award". Variety. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "2002 6th Annual SATELLITE™ Awards". pressacademy.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "The 8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". www.sagawards.org. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "23rd Young Artist Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
External links
- I Am Sam at IMDb
- I Am Sam at Box Office Mojo