Within his circle of acquaintances are four special needs adults who are his close friends and two normal intelligence adults who exhibit disordered behavior. In the movies frequent montage sequences, sam plays with his daughter, lucy, walks a gaggle of dogs or hangs around with his friends. In i am sam, sam dawson, a mentally challenged man who wipes the tables at starbucks, decides to fight for custody of his daughter, lucy dakota fanning. This is because majority of these movies have been found to be able to teach us concepts about human nature that we did not understand. I am sam the movie, i am sam, is the portrayal of a mentally retarded single parent struggling to maintain custody of his normal intelligence daughter. Over the weekend i watched a movie called, i am sam. Through a series of events, the courts find him incapable of being able to properly raise a child, and remove the child from his custody and into foster care. Following the birth of his daughter whom he names lucy after a song written by the beatles, his favorite band, the woman leaves. Dec 28, 2001 i am sam is not a bad movie, and its intentions are unimpeachable.
With sean penn, michelle pfeiffer, dakota fanning, dianne wiest. But as lucy grows up, sam s limitations start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. I am sam has truly got to be one of my favorite movies. Thats little lucy dawson, asking her father why he isnt quite like other. Conclusion movie scene this movie has a positive image of sam and his disability. I am sam sam dawson is an employed adult who has a developmental disability that limits his cognition to the level of a seven year old. Sam is given plenty of moral support from his friends in the custody battle. The movie, i am sam, is a journey to convince a reluctant society to trust someone who is mentally challenged with the responsibility of parenthood. All her life it has been the two of them, as a result lucy spends most of her day, when shes not at school with her father. We can tell this because of his intelligence level, but also because he shows signs of autism. The woman abandoned sam and their daughter, lucy soon after giving birth. Sam, i can go at least another nine rounds, but you got to let. Sam sean penn has moderate learning disabilities and cannot brew coffee or reliably cross town on a bus. I really enjoyed watching this movie and studying the different ways people communicate to each other.
Imdb describes it as the story of a mentally retarded man fighting for the custody of his 7yearold daughter, and in the process he teaches his coldhearted lawyer the value of love and family. Analysis of the depiction of communication disorders pennsylvania state university in the movie i am sam, the main character, sam, is a 40 year old father who is mentally retarded and is on the autistic spectrum. This cast of characters and his daily rhythm and routine make up sam s life. Jessie nelsons i am sam directed in 2001 tells a story of a mentallychallenged man, sam dawson, and his relentless fight with the legal system for custody of his daughter, lucy diamond dawson. Jun 10, 2008 i am sam is a movie starring sean penn filmed in 2001. Sam is a bit slow minded but has a huge heart and an infinite amount for his daughter. Nelson forces the audience to question sams capabilities and limits of being a good parent through symbolism, characterization, use of. Sam and his pro bono lawyer must demonstrate that his caretaker capacity has. Its a story of a man with mental retardation with the mental capacity of a seven year old, with a seven year daughter. Doc i am sam movie family assessment name institution. This is because majority of these movies have been found to be able to teach us concepts about human nature that we did not. I am sam is aimed at audiences who will relate to the hearttugging relationship between sam and lucy and young dakota fanning does a convincing job as the bright daughter.
This is not a film about sam dawson, a retarded man with a mental age of 7 and autistic tendencies. The portrayal of sam, a single father with a n intellectual d isability, in the movie i am sam sheds light on to the life of an individual living with a mild intellectual disability. Once you see a person with mental retardation portrayed as accurately and positively as in the recently released movie i am sam, you. Movie analysis of i am sam the movie i found interesting and that has taught me about different forms of communication and how they were used is i am sam by kristine johnson and jessie nelson.
I am sam is a compelling movie about a father and his neverending love for his daughter, lucy. I am sam stylized i am sam is a 2001 american drama film written and directed by jessie nelson, and starring sean penn as a father with an intellectual disability, dakota fanning as his bright and inquisitive daughter, and michelle pfeiffer as his lawyer. They say he only has the ability of a 7year old and doesnt have enough money. Nelson forces the audience to question sam s capabilities and limits of being a good parent through symbolism, characterization, use of. But its sentimentality is so relentless and its narrative so predictable that the life is very nearly squeezed out of it.
A psychological film analysis the difficulties faced. Just because the production and acting in the movie was of high quality does not mean that that is all it has to offer. Movie setting and story i am sam is a drama family film that rotates around the life of sam dawson sean penn who has the mental capacity of a 7year old. Sam sean penn has moderate learning disabilities and cannot brew coffee or. Entertainment media analysis report a service to our youth through you, their parents and grandparents, in his name by his word mar22005 i am sam 2001, pg analysis date. Although lucys mother, a homeless woman, leaves right after lucy is born, sam does just fine at first, with help from an agoraphobic neighbor dianne wiest. I am sam is a great movie that deals with marginalized people in our society and how theyre. Sam also gets some help from an entourage of friends, and all. A diagnostic view mental retardation and autistic spectrum disorders advance psychopathology in the movie i am sam, sam, the main character and the focus of this writing, is a mentally challenged father who enlists the aid of an attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter. In the movie i am sam, sam, the main character and the focus of this writing, is a mentally challenged father who enlists the aid of an attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter. Never trust a serious drama that uses a line from a dr. Jan 25, 2002 i am sam is aimed at audiences who will relate to the hearttugging relationship between sam and lucy and young dakota fanning does a convincing job as the bright daughter. In the movie i am sam, sean penn sam played a role of autistic father who faces difficulties in bringing up his daughter, lucy diamond dawson dakota fanning because of his mental disabilities. Sam has a hard time controlling his emotions and behaviours in certain situations.
The movie has a happy ending with sam getting lucy back and a huge support network of friends now including his lawyer and her son and the foster parents to help him raise lucy who clearly blossoms each and every time she is with her father who, as the entire films shows, loves her more than anything in the world. The movie i am sam is a heartwarming story of a father. A psychological film analysis the difficulties faced today in society by those with serious intellectual disabilities are very large hurdles faced by many in today s world. The film was directed by jessie nelson and stars sean penn with michelle pfeiffer, dakota fanning, dianne wiest, loretta devine, richard schiff, laura dern and brent spiner and was written by kristine johnson and jessie nelson. I am sam is not a bad movie, and its intentions are unimpeachable. And he has raised his little girl named lucy diamond after the beatles song alone for seven years, ever since her mother ran away days after her birth. As lucy grows up she becomes more educated than her. The filming aspects help the audience to relate to sam and his view of the world. Sam shames highpriced lawyer rita into taking his case pro bono. It is the story of a man named sam played by penn, suffering from mental retardation, who impregnanets a homeless woman. I am sam is a movie about a mentally challenged man, named sam, striving to raise his daughter, lucy, alone. This movie is filled with phenomenal acting and amazing displays of cinematography. The movie ends with lucys soccer game where sam is the referee.
No one sets out to make a bad film it just happens, and i am sam is a real mess. Feb 04, 2002 rarely has the message from hollywood hit us so clearly. I am sam is the story of a developmentally disabled and autistic man, sam dawson, who fathers a child with a homeless woman. Rita michelle pfeiffer, a hotshot lawyer, is convinced by her colleagues to take sam s custody case pro bono. The film begins with his boss saying its time and sam running to the hospital. Sam finds it hard to help lucy in her academic learning due to. A moment later, the sam, still holding the baby, and the woman leave the hospital going towards the bus where the woman ditches sam. Once you see a person with mental retardation portrayed as accurately and positively as in the recently released movie i am sam, you can. Writer and director jessie nelson corrina, corrina has fashioned a heart affecting drama that is wonderfully buoyed up by contemporary versions of beatle hits. I am sam is a movie featuring sean penn as sam, who is cast as an adult male with the learning capacity of a 7 year old with autistic tendencies. Daddy, did god mean for you to be like this, or was it an accident. Although, sam has some development disabilities he is able to work and still take care of his daughter. Sam may have a mental disability, but he takes his role as lucy. The message of i am sam is more than your typical getoutthehandkerchief movie.
I am sam took place in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it is a story about a man by the name of sam dawson who has the mental capacity of a 7 year old. I know that most parents struggle to make wise decisions for the welfare of their child. On a regular basis sam gets overwhelmed with scenarios where his knowledge, attention, and judgment are. I am sam was a movie with a touching and relaxing rythym, with good performances and story, although is slow and affects strongly the movie in the final moments of the movie, but it. A heart affecting drama about a mentally challenged fathers parenting style and his custody battle for his sevenyearold daughter. Sam, i can go at least another nine rounds, but you got to let me in. Dianne wiest, loretta devine, richard schiff, and laura dern appear in supporting roles jessie nelson and kristine johnson, who cowrote.
Even though people have disabilities, they are just like us. Nov 21, 2014 i am sam is a movie featuring sean penn as sam, who is cast as an adult male with the learning capacity of a 7 year old with autistic tendencies. I am sam 2001 is a great and unique film directed by jessie nelson. No one sets out to make a bad filmit just happens, and i am sam is a real mess. Every device of the movie s art is designed to convince us lucy must stay with sam, but common sense makes it impossible to go the distance with the premise. A serious movie glossed over with hollywood sentimentality, i am sam features hearttugging performances by twotime oscarnominee penn dead man walking, sweet and lowdown and delightful newcomer dakota fanning as lucy, the 7year old in question.
Sams partner claims that she only needed a place to stay for the night. He works at a starbucks and is obsessed with the beatles. I am sam is a 2001 drama film that tells a story about a mentally handicapped father and his efforts to retain custody of his daughter. In attendance are lucys former foster family, the newly divorced rita and her son with whom.
Love, intelligence, parenthood in i am sam all you need is love is both a song by the beatles and also a major theme of director jessie nelsons 2001 film i am sam, produced by new line cinema. I am sam presents great actings of the cast and bring a cute, confused and nice story. As we watch lucy grow up under sams roof, we are able to see the love they have for each other. Sam is a man with autism who has a daughter with a homeless woman. As lucy turns seven and begins to intellectually surpass her father, their close bond is threatened when their unconventional living arrangement comes to the. Dianne wiest, loretta devine, richard schiff, and laura dern appear in supporting roles.
Diagnosed with autism, sams intellectual capacity cannot exceed the age of 7. Although, he is mentallychallenged and the court argues whether or not he should keep lucy. Sam s partner claims that she only needed a place to stay for the night. In attendance are lucys former foster family, the newly divorced rita and her son with whom rita has renewed her relationship, along with annie and sam s other friends. He impregnates a homeless women and they have a daughter named lucy. He has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving sam to raise lucy on his own. Analysis of the drama movie i am sam posted on april 9, 2020 april 9, 2020 by daniel the scene depicting irreverent argument between sam and a hooker where lucy signaled sam as a burden depicts the presence of the element of relational dialetics solomon amp. A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7yearold daughter and in the process teaches his coldhearted lawyer the value of love and family. A woman gives birth and the nurses give him the baby. Apr 18, 2012 in the movie i am sam, sean penn sam played a role of autistic father who faces difficulties in bringing up his daughter, lucy diamond dawson dakota fanning because of his mental disabilities. Stephanie drouillard description of the character with the language impairment.
I am sam analysis sam loves his daughter lucy very much and tries very hard to keep her with him. Sam says that lucy still needs a mother and asks if the foster mother would like to help raise lucy. Once you see a person with mental retardation portrayed as accurately and positively as in the recently released movie i am sam, you can only conclude that society has come a long way. He got a homeless woman pregnant, and the woman left sam in the care of a newborn baby. Analysis of the movie i am sam 1515 words 7 pages i am sam.
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