I Am Sam Details

A Fifty Hankie Weepie

This was the saddest film I have ever seen, but very very enjoyable! The acting was superb - Sean Penn was every inch a man with learning difficulties. The actors playing his friends were a mixture of actors with special needs and those without, all acting superbly.

"I Am Sam" had very funny moments, extremely touching moments and lots of tearful moments. It is a film that shows that love and perseverance conquers all.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Absolutely Appalling

I could write a whole host of reasons about how bad this film is but the Radio Times review summarises this much better than I could do. It's an example of the typical Hollywood manipulative tear-jerker. Instead of having decent characterisation and writing to allow you to get into the characters it throws you an immediately sympathetic character so you don't have to examine the characters feelings and tries to exploit them for maximum emotional effect.

As for Sean Penn, I'm sure he's a bit embarrassed about this film. One moment his character is unable to remember simple things, the next he's understanding complex adult emotions and even interpreting them for his hot shot lawyer. It's a long time since I've seen a film this poor get so many good reviews.

If you want to watch a filim about a character that has a mental disability then there are far better films out there that look at the issue and don't put it in such an exploitative and manipulative context.