I AM SAM
Released: January 25, 2002
This movie features some really good acting from Sean Penn and Michelle Phieffer. Written and directed by Jessie Nelson, who wrote for Phieffer in 1999's "The Story Of Us" and directed Whoopi Goldberg in "Corinna, Corinna" gives us the story of an adult named Sam with the mental capacity of a seven year old (Penn) who is forced to raise his daughter alone after being ditched by his homeless girlfriend. By the time his daughter Lucy Diamond (played by newcomer Dakota Fanning) reaches age seven it attracts the social services authorities who try to take her away from Sam. Once you get past all the product placements (we are shown Sam has a job at Starbucks then later at Pizza Hut - corporate logos everywhere) you'll discover a decently acted flick with two great leads and a superb cast of supporters like Laura Dern, Diane Weist, Mary Steenburgen and Brent Spiner. Produced by the duo of Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick who gave us Claire Danes in her TV breakthrough "My So-Called Life".
132 Minutes
New Line/Warner Bros.