I am Sam (2001)

"OK, remember when Paul McCartney wrote the song "Michelle" and then he only wrote the first part, Annie said. And then he gave that part to John Lennon, and he wrote the part that said, "I love you, I love you, I love you." And Annie said that it wouldn't have been the same song without that... and that's why the whole world cried when the Beatles broke up on April 10, 1970. "-Senn penn when being challenged in the court trial about his ability.

Before watching this movie I had imagined a different personification for Sean Penn .He had broken all my images about him by this movie ,I am Sam.I really was surprised to see why even Best of Indian actors struggled to make it on this particular character,Ajay Devgan tried this and he was looking miserable in the Hindi Version of the movie.Mentally challenged role is a real challenge for any actor,Sean Penn had shown a great level of genius acting in the particular characterization which is the main thing about the movie.

Beginning the movie itself we are made to understand that Sam Dawson (Sean Penn ) is a mentally challenged middle aged man who was left with his daughter alone .Sam brings up the Lucy his daughter with love and innocence which he knows.Lucy becomes intelligent than Sam where the problems start arising for both of them .One point the Child welfare group separate him from Lucy and Sam and his mentally challenged friends who were with Sam in bringing Lucy till ,struggles with her absence.Sam defends for Lucy through his lawyer Rita Harris ( Michelle Pfiffer).But it turns to usual stuff at the end.

I read the movie gave a critical acclaim to Sean Penn, but it didn't fair well.But according to me it was one of the lovely movie which i watched off late.Right from the beginning the movie was so beautiful from the cast to the visuals.Every question Lucy asks Sam is understandable for us that the Kid is growing and she needs answers .When she asks " Dad why are You different was it a accident or you were born as this ?" ,at the next moment she self answers her question which the director shows the kid Lucy has grown up than her dad. Every act the Kid Lucy displays through her understanding and the love for her dad is a matured stuff of any celluloid display for any body of thatage.If Sean Penn was great she was equally great with her acting and longing for her dad.Mischell Pfiffer has given a understandable performance for her character which I beleive was so lovely to watch.Her sudden publicity stuff to take up the case for Probono becomes a serious note when she relates her with Sam in the child parent relation.

Penn's performance as Sam must be mentioned alongside that of Dustin Hoffman as Rain Man's Raymond Babbitt. It is that good! They say its easy to perform as a mentally retarded but to exhibit the one sided emotions is difficult for any characterWhat ever ,Sean penn was at his best particularly when he just recollects the addition and when he is being interrogated at court .The scene deserves a mention when his fingers cripple and tongue twist in search of the thing which he wanted to convey.Amazingly I was sympathizing at him forgetting it was a movie.I think it can not be portrayed better than this.It was notable when his friends comment and relate with the movies when being interrogated and often then quote with the film dialogues and one liners.Truly it was enjoyable but I felt the way the movie lost its shine was inevitable because of the weak and the last predictable storyline.We can not have a better finish ,because the other way could be tragic ,which would not be acceptable for this line .But it could have better if the line of the relation between Sean Penn and others would have been defined probably.I am done with a good movie for a weekend.