I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama/melodrama film co-written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with an intellectual disability, Dakota Fanning as his bright and inquisitive daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer. Dianne Wiest, Loretta Devine, Richard Schiff, and Laura Dern appear in supporting roles. Nelson and co-writer Kristine Johnson researched the issues facing adults with intellectual disabilities by visiting the non-profit organization L.A. GOAL. They subsequently cast two actors with disabilities, Brad Silverman and Joe Rosenberg, in key roles. The film's title is derived from the opening lines "I am Sam / Sam I am" of the book Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, which is read in the movie. The film received negative reviews from critics. It grossed over $97 million at the box office, against a production budget of $22 million. For his new role as Sam, Penn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002.
| Director | Jessie Nelson |
| Produced by | Jessie Nelson, Richard Solomon, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz |
| Writer(s) | Kristine Johnson, Jessie Nelson |
| Starring | Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianne Wiest, Dakota Fanning, Richard Schiff, Doug Hutchison, Loretta Devine, Laura Dern |
| Music | John Powell |
| Cinematography | Elliot Davis |
| Edited by | Richard Chew |
| Production, company | The Bedford Falls Company |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Released | December 28, 2001 (United States: limited), January 25, 2002 (United States: wide) |
| Running time | 132 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $22 million |
| Box office | $97.8 million |
| Netflix ID | 60021799 |
About I Am Sam
Sam Dawson is a father with a developmental handicap, and he is fighting for the custody of his seven year-old daughter against a lawyer who wants to place his child in foster care.
Achievement of I Am Sam
Sean Penn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Sam. The film is said to be the launching of Dakota Fanning's film career.
Top Facts You Did Not Know About I Am Sam
Developmental disabilities.. Films about mental disability.. New Line Cinema films.
