Rotten
Penn repeatedly hits the ball out of the park, but the rest of the team never gets past first base.
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Overview
Sam, a neurodivergent man, has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy on his own. But as Lucy grows up, Sam's limitations as a parent start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. Sam convinces high-priced lawyer Rita to take his case pro bono and in turn teaches her the value of love and family.
Director and cast
- Jessie Nelson Director
- Sean Penn as Sam Dawson
- Michelle Pfeiffer as Rita Harrison Williams
- Dakota Fanning as Lucy Diamond Dawson
- Dianne Wiest as Annie Cassell
- Marin Hinkle as Patricia
- Richard Schiff as Mr. Turner
- Loretta Devine as Margaret Calgrove
- Laura Dern as Randy Carpenter
- Brad Silverman as Brad
- Joseph Rosenberg as Joe
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
35%
Tomatometer
Fresh
It's a sensational performance, and [Penn] illumines a movie that sometimes seems in danger of descending into modish Hollywood political correctness.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Fresh
On one level, I Am Sam is a crock, but on another, more vital one, it's very, very sweet.
David Edelstein, Slate
Rotten
Plays out in such a conventional manner that it feels like a TV movie of the week from the '70s.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
Rotten
For a movie that probes the sensitive issue of living with reduced mental capacity, are the creators of Bambi the obvious choice?
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
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