Essay on I Am Sam - 1694 Words

I Am Sam is the compelling story of Sam Dawson (Sean Penn), a mentally-challenged father raising his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) with the help of an extraordinary group of friends. As Lucy turns seven and begins to intellectually surpass her father, their close bond is threatened when their situation comes under the scrutiny of a social worker who wants Lucy placed in foster care. Faced with a seemingly unwinnable case, Sam vows to fight the legal system and forms an unlikely alliance with Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), a high-powered, self-absorbed attorney who initially takes his case pro bona as a challenge from her colleagues. On the surface the two couldnt be further apart, but in reality they are subtly similar. Sams†¦show more content†¦I Am Sam (rated PG-13 by the M.P.A.A. for language) will be released in Los Angeles and New York on December 28th, 2001 and wide on January 25th, 2002. about the story I Am Sam is a powerful, emotional film about love, parenthood and the bonds of family. Im fascinated by what makes a family and how people create that in untraditional ways, says director and co-screenwriter Jessie Nelson. I think all parents at times feel confused and overwhelmed. It is a common bond between every parent on the planet, whether youre disabled or not. Parents who are disabled provide a unique metaphor for how were all trying to get through an incredibly challenging world and how we all ultimately need some type of support system. Raising a child is never easy, but like everybody, Sam Dawson (Academy Award nominee Sean Penn) has learned to adapt. Sam and his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) have gotten through the basics, though not always in the conventional way, with the help of Sams tightly-knit group of friends. Though Lucys life has never been what anyone would ever call normal, it has always been animated with humor and full of love. Lucy and her dad go to IHOP on Wednesday, video night on Thursday, karaoke night on Friday, says Dakota Fanning, the 7-year old newcomer who plays Lucy Diamond. They just have the best time together. But when LucyShow MoreRelatedI Am Sam Movie Review894 Words   |  4 PagesI am Sam I am Sam is a 2001 American drama film written and directed by Jessie Nelson, starring Sean Penn as Sam who has an intellectual disability that had sole care for his daughter Lucy Diamond played by Dakota Fanning. The two of them encounter problems with the Department of Child and Family Services as they believe the presence of Sam’s intellectual disability negates his ability to parent. A lawyer Rita Harrison played by Michelle Pfeiffer plays an important role in this film as sheRead MoreI Am Sam s Mental Retardation999 Words   |  4 PagesI am Sam was quite possibly one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life. I was personally very moved by the entire story. I learned a lot about how these kinds of cases usually pan out for those that are mentally disabled. I had not ever thought of a story like this, but now that I was opened to these kinds of issues in the lives of people with mental disabilities, I am glad that I watched this movie and gain some insight. Sam faced several psychological issues in this story. Out of all theRead More I am Sam Movie Review Essay examples431 Words   |  2 PagesI am Sam Movie Review 1. Movie Title   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I Am Sam 2. Year of Production   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001 (Theatrical) ? 2002 (Home Video) 3. Feature Length   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  134 Minutes 4. Director   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jessie Nelson 5. Producers and Studio   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Director/Producer Jessie Nelson, Executive Producer David Scott Rubin Producers Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Richard Solomon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New Line Home Entertainment 6. Major Character Cast   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sam Dawson played by Sean Penn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rita Harrison played by MichelleRead MoreI am Sam Disability1394 Words   |  6 Pages I chose the movie I am Sam to challenge my own opinion on how people with disabilities should be treated under certain circumstances. I am Sam is a movie about a mentally challenged man, named Sam, striving to raise his daughter, Lucy, alone. Diagnosed with Autism, Sam’s intellectual capacity cannot exceed the age of 7. As we watch Lucy grow up under Sam’s roof, we are able to see the love they have for each other. When Lucy reaches the age of 8, social workers see this as an issue, so they placeRead MoreI Am Sam Essay1490 Words   |  6 PagesI Am Sam December 16th, 2010 In the movie I Am Sam, I will be discussing two elements of communication, facial expressions and the social exchange theory of relationships. I will be describing two different scenes of the movie to show how facial expressions are an important element of communication as well as two other scenes to show how the social exchange theory of relationships works in this movie. During the final custody hearing to determine if Sam, who has the mentality level of a sevenRead MoreI Am Sam Analysis1508 Words   |  7 PagesIn the film ‘I Am Sam Directed by Jessie Nelson as the main storyline of this film that show in that anything is possible to fulfill to get where you want to be no matter what kind of Disability a person has. The Director shown a huge importance in the filmed of a real life situation to the viewers. In which a man named Sam Dawson a loving, caring mentally challenged father that takes care of his daughter Lucy. The movie shows a more real-life situation that was when Lucy turns 7 she passes herRead MoreAnalysis Of I Am Sam848 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie, I Am Sam is about a single father who has a developmental disability and who has an IQ of a seven-year-old who wants and tries to take care of his baby daughter. He had his daughter, Lucy with a homeless woman and she left Sam just after she had her. There are some complications an d then he loses her through court because people convince him he could not give her the love she deserved. The article online and the movie were the same. In many people’s opinion, books are better than the moviesRead MoreFinding The Underlying Conflict Sam1113 Words   |  5 PagesThe director may have used this portion of the movie to establish the underlying conflict Sam is being questioned about. The court system consistently states that Lucy will surpass his IQ by her next birthday. The judge claims that due to his â€Å"low intelligence,† Sam will not be able to take care of Lucy as well as someone with a higher mental age. Although this is the court’s assumption, does this make Sam any less capable of raising Lucy? Mindsets such as Henry Goddard, author of the Kallikak FamilyRead More Mental Retardation Essay510 Words   |  3 Pagescan receive an education and lead a productive role in society. I Am Sam is about a mentally retarded man named Sam (Sean Penn). In the beginning of the movie Sam is left to care for his child alone. The childs mother leaves them both and never returns. Sam raises Lucy with the help of a neighbor and friends. When Lucy reaches the age of seven she begins to realize her fathers disability, something I she never noticed before. This realization begins causing problemsRead MoreMy Movie Reflection1314 Words   |  6 Pagesmovie changed my outlook on everything. Sam is a man who has a mental disability and he got a woman pregnant. The woman took off when she gave birth and left Sam with the baby. Sam tried very hard to raise his daughter Lucy, but due to the fact that he had a mentality of a 7 year old, he had a hard time. He got help from her God Mom, Annie, who was also Lucy’s piano teacher later on. Sam’s friends, who had disabilities as well, helped him with Lucy. Sam worked at Starbucks and it showed examples