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I Am Sam

  • 20012001
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 12m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
149K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,073
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Michelle Pfeiffer, Sean Penn, and Dakota Fanning in I Am Sam (2001)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:20
2 Videos
74 Photos
  • Drama
A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
149K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,073
  • Director
    • Jessie Nelson
  • Writers
    • Kristine Johnson
    • Jessie Nelson
  • Stars
    • Sean Penn
    • Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Dakota Fanning
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jessie Nelson
  • Writers
    • Kristine Johnson
    • Jessie Nelson
  • Stars
    • Sean Penn
    • Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Dakota Fanning
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 500User reviews
    • 105Critic reviews
    • 28Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 8 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos2

    I Am Sam
    Trailer 2:20
    I Am Sam
    I Am Sam
    Trailer 2:24
    I Am Sam

    Photos74

    Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning in I Am Sam (2001)
    Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning in I Am Sam (2001)
    Michelle Pfeiffer and Sean Penn in I Am Sam (2001)
    Sean Penn in I Am Sam (2001)
    Loretta Devine in I Am Sam (2001)
    Loretta Devine and Richard Schiff in I Am Sam (2001)
    Sean Penn in I Am Sam (2001)
    Michelle Pfeiffer in I Am Sam (2001)
    Dianne Wiest in I Am Sam (2001)
    Michelle Pfeiffer in I Am Sam (2001)
    Sean Penn in I Am Sam (2001)
    Sean Penn and Jessie Nelson in I Am Sam (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sean Penn
    Sean Penn
    • Sam Dawsonas Sam Dawson
    Michelle Pfeiffer
    Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Ritaas Rita
    Dakota Fanning
    Dakota Fanning
    • Lucyas Lucy
    Dianne Wiest
    Dianne Wiest
    • Annieas Annie
    Loretta Devine
    Loretta Devine
    • Margaret Calgroveas Margaret Calgrove
    Richard Schiff
    Richard Schiff
    • Turneras Turner
    Laura Dern
    Laura Dern
    • Randy Carpenteras Randy Carpenter
    Brad Silverman
    • Bradas Brad
    • (as Brad Allan Silverman)
    Joseph Rosenberg
    • Joeas Joe
    Stanley DeSantis
    Stanley DeSantis
    • Robertas Robert
    Doug Hutchison
    Doug Hutchison
    • Iftyas Ifty
    Rosalind Chao
    Rosalind Chao
    • Lilyas Lily
    Ken Jenkins
    Ken Jenkins
    • Judge McNeilyas Judge McNeily
    Wendy Phillips
    Wendy Phillips
    • Miss Wrightas Miss Wright
    Mason Lucero
    Mason Lucero
    • Conner Rhodesas Conner Rhodes
    Scott Paulin
    Scott Paulin
    • Duncan Rhodesas Duncan Rhodes
    Bobby Cooper
    Bobby Cooper
    • Georgeas George
    Kit McDonough
    Kit McDonough
    • Ms. Davisas Ms. Davis
    • Director
      • Jessie Nelson
    • Writers
      • Kristine Johnson
      • Jessie Nelson
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Becoming Sam
    5.9
    Becoming Sam

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Dakota Fanning's little sister, Elle Fanning, played her character at age 3.
    • Goofs
      Credits list "starbucks barrister" instead of "barista".
    • Quotes

      Rita: I just don't know what to call you: retarded, mentally retarded, mentally handicapped, mentally disabled, intellectually handicapped, intellectually disabled, developementally disabled...

      Sam: You can call me Sam.

    • Connections
      Edited into Becoming Sam (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
      Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

      Performed by The Black Crowes

      The Black Crowes appear courtesy of V2 Records

    User reviews500

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Heart Warming Tale About a Loving Father
    In an eye opening performance, Sean Penn plays mentally challenged Sam. It was the 2001 Academy Awards when I began to doubt the Oscars because Sean Penn was robbed of the Best Actor category. I really believed at the time, that Sean Penn was mentally challenged. He was way more deserving of the award than Denzel.

    This is one film that can tug your heart strings and have your eyes flooded with tears. It's powered by the performances of Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer and Dakota Fanning. Dakota has an innate ability to use her big beautiful eyes to induce crying. Michelle can steal a moment from Sean in any scene with her beautifully delivered words.

    The story of fighting for custody of his daughter is one for all ages and it's a tragic story to be told but can captivate any audience and especially all mothers and fathers out there. When you finish watching, you'll have red eyes from wiping away those tears. You'll also be in a mood to start watching more movies containing Sean Penn.

    If you've never seen a Sean Penn film before this, you'll believe that he is truly handicapped. Sean Penn's commitment to this role is accounted for six months of research on mentally challenged people. I'm not knocking Denzel Washington as an actor, as he's supremely talented. But Sean Penn has an uncanny ability to make you believe he is not playing a character of Sam, but is the character of Sam.

    The character of Sam, is not inspiring because he is handicapped. It's due to how loving he is and how much fighting he does to get his daughter back and make her happy that makes Sam inspiring. Kids can watch this movie, and parents will enjoy it most of all. It's not a movie that should be missed by anyone. There's no reason to dislike, I Am Sam.
    helpful•6
    0
    • Jerique
    • Jul 24, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 25, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros.
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tôi Là Sam
    • Filming locations
      • Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Avery Pix
      • The Bedford Falls Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $22,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $40,311,852
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $41,779
      • Dec 30, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $97,818,139
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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