I Am Sam

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I Am Sam

Film Review

Tracy Ann N. Jimenez

Department of Teacher Education, Cavite State University-CCAT

Campus EDUC 65- The Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education

Ms. Bhrendelyn Navales

February 23, 2020


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“I Am Sam”

Film Review

“I am Sam” is based on a true story which makes the movie more inspiring, it is a 2001

melodrama where Sam Dawson has developmental disabilities, and they believed that Sam has a

mental capacity of 7 years old and a single father to Lucy, a bright and lovable daughter to Sam.

He raised his daughter with the help of his unique friends, until she turns 7 years old and

surpasses her father, intellectually. Their close bond becomes a threat because of the
unconventional living arrangement and gets the attention of the social workers and they want

Lucy to go into foster care. He became problematic because Lucy got taken away by the social

workers and his custody case brought to court. Sam do his best to find a lawyer, named Rita, she

says he’s case was a pro bono and Sam teaches her a great deal about love because it is all their

needed. Sam broke down and failed to win his trial on his custody to Lucy and he is convinced

that he is not capable of taking care of his daughter. Lucy was placed with foster family who

adopted her but Lucy always runaway every night to go into his father’s house that move into an

apartment close to her daughter. In the end, they gave Lucy to his father because they have

realized how much Lucy loves his father. But his father says that Lucy stills needs a mother and

request to the foster mother to help him raise Lucy and she agreed.

The movie has heart-tagging performances which capture the attention of every people

who will watch it. As I have watched the movie, I became very emotional when it comes to

father-daughter relationships, because I am longing for a father, I don’t have a father to be called

since I was 10 years old, my father got tortured and it was a long story. I kept thinking about how

he will take care of her daughter throughout the movie in his situation. But as the movie goes on,

it answers my question. Sam is very lovable, strong, kind-hearted, faithful, and honest despite his

mental disability he’ll do anything for his daughter to make her happy like he always does in his

job, he is very cheerful and always says his favorite line in his job “That is a very good choice”

in every order of his costumer. And if you think of it, it has a deeper meaning, I believe in the

quote that “everyone in life is faced with good and bad choices that can either have a good

outcome on your life or it can take a turn for the worst”. He always read a book “Green Eggs and

Ham” every night before Lucy sleeps. I am very touched because he have a helpful and devoted

unique friends that supports him throughout the movie, although they are funny in a good way

but they did not leave their friend Sam. Like the quote says, “Good friends are like stars. You
don't always see them, but you know that they are always there. A friend is one of the nicest

things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” In my experience, I do have this best

friendship ever, we are best friends since high school, but we know that time passes and we

graduate and separated from each other, we became busy but we do not forget that we are here if

you need a help or if you have a problem, we sometimes have a little chitchat in messenger and

express our emotions because we know that we understand each other sides and I must say that

they are one of the important things that I do not want lose, they are my companion when nobody

does not want to be my companion. One of the scene that I am very touched is when they are

buying Lucy a shoes that will use on her first day of schooling, and Sam’s money are not enough

to buy the shoes that Lucy’s picked, his friends contributed money to pay the remaining balance

cost of the shoes and the funny part is they buy together balloons which the scene looks cute. He

is doing his best to cope up in the situation and also his daughter that is very brave and smart that

she does not want her father to feel different and stop learning so she won’t get ahead of her dad.

The movie is rich in insight and taught us many lessons; it teaches us how to be strong in

all situations using the weaknesses that we faced. You will know what love means, and how love

conquers all. Sam is intellectually challenged and he does not see it as a hindrance to living his

life to the fullest and giving all his best to Lucy. It amazes me how Rita (Sam’s lawyer) becomes

different when before he met Sam, she is a cold-hearted, selfish person who only cares about her

reputation and money, but despite their differences, they helped each other in a way, to help

improve themselves. Sam thinks that people like Rita are not even hurting, do not have feelings,

or not even know the word “hurt” in facing problems but Rita says that even she’s is perfect, she

also feels a little ugly, alone, lost, and incomplete. Because she might have money, work, house,

but without her family’s love, she feels miserable. Overall, the movie “I Am Sam” gave us a

realization about the real meaning of love because the plot focuses on his desire to get his
daughter back to him which he’ll do anything to his daughter. Otherwise, on becoming a better

person to our loved ones full of honesty, compassion, and pure love with full of respect. We

should not judge others on their appearance or living because we are not in their situation to

judge them, we should learn to be in their perspective sometimes and look on every side of their

life before you go to judging. Theirs is no room for having an intellectual capacity on a person’s

ability to love. Sam shows that his love for his daughter that does not give up, makes an

allowance for mistakes and that is very unconditional.

REFERENCES

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277027/plotsummary

Ebert R. (2002). I Am Sam. Ebert Digital LLC.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/i-am-sam-2002

Madamba C. (2003). What I Am Sam taught me about love. Philippine Star Global.

https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2003/08/08/216493/what-i-am-sam-taught-me

about-love

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