I Am Sam Social Sciences Movie Review Research Paper (Movie Review Sample)

I Am Sam
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
I Am Sam
Movie Summary
The movie selected for this analysis is titled “I Am Sam.” The drama film was initially released in December 2001 under the directorship of Jessie Nelson. The main characters in the drama film include Sean Penn who acts as Sam Dawson, Dakota Fanning who acts as Lucy, Michelle Pfeiffer who acts as Rita Harrison, and Dianne West who acts Annie. Sam Dawson is the father of a 7-year-old girl whom he named “Lucy” after being inspired by the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by his favorite music band “The Beatles” (I Am Sam, 2001).
Sam is a single parent with an intellectual disability. He has surrounded himself with four close friends who also have developmental disabilities. As such, Sam’s friends provide a reliable support system for each other as they maneuver life’s challenges. Sam has managed to care for his daughter (Lucy) for the past seven years after Lucy’s mother abandoned them shortly after giving birth to her. Annie is Sam’s neighbor who often gives a hand in babysitting Lucy when Sam is not able to (I Am Sam, 2001).
Despite the intellectual disability taking a toll on Sam’s mental capacity (his mental capacity is like that of a 7-year-old), it emerges that he has managed to provide a loving and a caring environment for his daughter. Upon asking Sam whether his condition was an accident or God’s will, Lucy quickly retracts and assures him that she considers herself lucky for having a daddy who is so caring and loving. Sam’s mental capacity is lower than that of his daughter who often tries to appear less intelligent in front of her father.