I.

Introductory statement

I am Sam is a 2001 American drama film written and directed Jessie Nelson. I am Sam movie is
about a person with autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental
condition that involves persistent challenges in social interaction, speech and nonverbal
communication, and restricted/repetitive behaviors. The effects of ASD and the severity of
symptoms are different in each person.ASD is usually first diagnosed in childhood with many of
the most-obvious signs presenting around 2-3 years old, but some children with autism develop
normally until toddlerhood when they stop acquiring or lose previously gained skills. Sam
Dawson, a father with mental retardation raising his young daughter, Lucy, who is developing
typically and whose cognitive abilities are rapidly eclipsing those of her father.

II. Synopsis/Summary of the movie

Sam Dawson, played exceptionally by Sean Penn, is a man with the intellectual capacity of a
seven-year-old. He manages to keep a humble apartment by doing simple tasks at Starbucks. All
is well in his life when, accidentally, he impregnates a homeless woman who doesn’t want
anything to do with him. Left all alone to raise his baby girl, he develops a bond with Lucy,
whom he named after a Beatles song. The conflict starts when Lucy turns seven. She starts to
ask Sam questions about life and about his condition. When she asks him why he’s different
from other daddies, he can only say sorry. She responds with a comforting reassurance which
goes, "Don’t be sorry. I’m lucky. Nobody else’s daddy comes to the park." As she enters school,
people become concerned with Sam’s condition and its effect on Lucy’s learning and future.
With Lucy’s welfare in mind, they try to take her away from Sam and put her under someone
else’s care. Not one to give his daughter up, Sam fights for her with the help of friends and a
lawyer, Rita (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) whose help he gets through persistence, determination
and luck. Sam might not be intelligent but he knows what he wants and fights for it. What he
lacks "up there," he makes up with his heart. He may not be able to teach Lucy algorithms or
chemical equations but he can teach her about the lessons that one can never learn from
books: lessons on life and love. Too often we focus on the intellectual aspect of things that we
forget that what makes us people of worth and value is what’s in our hearts and not how much
we know. One witness who supports Sam is a doctor raised by her mother who had the mind of
an eight year old. The mother, despite her condition, had recognized her daughter’s abilities and
encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Maybe she wasn’t able to help the doctor in reviewing
for exams but, like Sam, taught her daughter patience and compassion. Often we are guilty of
judging and being condescending toward people who are not of "normal" thinking whereas
sometimes they are the ones who show us how it is to be human. Take for example Sam’s
friends who are also retarded. Despite their condition, they help him raise Lucy and support him
in his fight for her. One scene that really touched me was when Lucy needed to get some school
shoes. Together with her father and his friends, they all went to the shoe store. As they were
paying, Sam was oblivious to the fact that he didn’t have enough money. It was extremely
moving when everyone started pulling out bills from their pockets to help Sam pay for the
shoes. Without having to ask them, they gave him all that they had. No one can deny that an
intellectually-challenged man raising a child can pose some serious problems. For instance, Sam
always reads Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss to Lucy at night but as she gets more advanced
storybooks, she tries to hold herself back because she knows Sam can’t comprehend them
anymore. She won’t read words that are difficult for him to read and won’t say words related to
his condition. Teachers in school notice this, giving them even more conviction to take her away
from her dad. They argue that she’s afraid to learn, scared to be more intelligent than he is
which is a danger to her learning. Surprisingly, even Sam notices this and tells her how it makes
him happy when she reads. Despite her love for him, Lucy also starts showing little signs of
embarrassment when her classmates make fun of her dad. Nevertheless, she helps him fight for
their relationship and it becomes apparent to the viewer that no matter how much people try
to break them apart, their love for each other will bring them back together. One thing that
amazes me about this movie is how it was able to build up the character of Sam’s lawyer Rita,
and somehow incorporate her into the father-daughter plot. It’s also incredible how two very
different people are able to help each other and in a way, help themselves. Rita is a self-
absorbed, selfish, often irate lawyer who only cares about her reputation and money. Luckily,
Sam, who randomly picks her out from the yellow pages, is in the right place at the right time.
When her colleagues who despise her see her talking to Sam, she decides to take his case for
free, something totally out of her character. At the outset, she does this to prove to them that
she has a charitable side despite her bitchiness. In the end, she learns more about herself and
admits to Sam that she got more out of their relationship than he probably did. As she tries to
save a relationship, she understands more about her own life and what really matters. In Sam,
one can see the embodiment of someone who is selfless, devoted, with an abundance of
unconditional love. When Lucy’s godmother Annie is called to the witness stand, she states that
she never doubted Sam’s ability. Looking at Lucy, everybody might think that she’s smart as she
is despite Sam but Annie believes she is smart because of Sam. He encourages her to learn,
listens to her thoughts and questions, and never fails to be there for her. In a way, Sam’s
condition has helped Lucy grow up because she learned early on to be independent and self-
reliant. When Sam is asked about what makes him think he can be a good father, his reply could
only come from someone who genuinely loves his child: "I have had a lot of time to think about
what it is that makes somebody a good parent and it’s about constancy, it’s about patience, and
listening. And it’s about pretending to listen even when you can’t listen anymore and it’s about
love." Well said. I Am Sam is not only a story about love; it also shows us how all of us can feel
helpless and useless but it is how we treat challenges that will determine how we fare against
our weaknesses or the circumstances we are faced with. Sam, intellectually challenged as he is,
doesn’t see this as a hindrance to living his life to the fullest and giving all that he can to Lucy.
Despite his disability, he tries hard to accomplish things and learn more things. On the other
hand, Rita, whom Sam regards as perfect, suddenly becomes an object of pity when he tries to
argue with her. Sam thinks that people like Rita don’t know what it’s like to get hurt because
they don’t have feelings. This enrages Rita who tells him that "perfect" people like her also feel
lost, little, ugly and indispensable. She might have everything but without her family’s love, she
feels miserable. Comparing Rita and Sam, we see that Sam is truly more fortunate than she is.
He isn’t rich but he his very happy as long as Lucy and he are together. Here we see a man who
is content and satisfied with what he has and who he is. On the other hand, although Rita is rich
and successful, she realizes when she meets Sam that she has been entertaining the wrong
priorities. Her marriage is falling apart and she would give anything just to be closer to her son.
At one point, she gets frustrated when her son gives her a cold shoulder even though she has
spent hours buying a toy for him. Money can’t buy love and obviously, her son needs attention
and caring more than he needs all the toys money can buy.

III. Criticism/Reaction paper

I am Sam is wonderfully comical. It is also heartbreakingly sad and touching. Best of all,
however, it is ultimately inspiring and hopeful. I am Sam is a challenging movie to both abled
and disabled persons. It showed love and affection that should be emulated. Sam portrayed
himself as an asset to society and a positive living influence for Lucy. Sam story becomes a tale
about the transformation disability enablement. The filming aspects help the audience to relate
to Sam and his view of the world. Even though people have disabilities they are just like us.
People with intellectual disabilities just need a little more assistance than most of us they are
still normal people, and should not get treated differently. And also it shows the true insight of
what a mentally challenged person feels. It shows no matter who you are you can love someone
or something the most amazing thing about this movie is not only does it tell story about a
mentally disabled man who wants custody of his daughter but it also shows some people can be
to caught up in the work or own lives to be able to consider their childs life.All in all, I Am Sam is
a story that contradicts the importance of stature or intelligence in a person’s life. We become
better persons not by striving to get higher GPAs or by reading more books. We become better
by trying to live each day with a pure heart full of compassion, respect and honesty. People
must not be judged by what they are but by who they are and how they relate to everyone else.
As a line in the movie goes: "One’s intellectual capacity has no bearing on one’s ability to love."
Sam shows us a love that is unconditional, a love that makes allowances for mistakes, a love that
doesn’t give up.

IV. Concluding remarks and Recommendations

 I Am Sam is powerful and heavy. There’s a lot that I liked about the film. It probably is not a
good fit for kids or teens because the film centers. Birthparents may find it affirming to see the
positive aspects of Sam’s portrayal he is positive and loving. Parents who have had children in
foster care may find it difficult to watch some of the court proceedings. Some mean things are
said. Adults considering foster care adoption or other forms of adoption could use the film as
an invitataion to challenge their preconceptions of birth parents.

V. Reference

://www.google.com/amp/s/www.philstar.com/entertainment/2003/08/08/216493/what-i-am-
sam-taught-me-about-love/amp/