I Am Sam (2001)

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

I don't know how many of you have seen this but I highly recommend checking it out. Besides a ludicrous plot and Sean Penn going "full retard", the director had no idea how to make a movie. With that many good actors, no matter how bad the script is, there's no excuse to have such poor performances. And while I'm not somebody who enjoys making fun of people with mental handicaps, there are a number of Penn moments that will have you, unintentionally, cracking up.

[seanotron 2307]

IIRC, RDJ actually said this was one of the movies that inspired his whole 'full retard' speech. It's a terrible movie, another one in a long line of 'developmentally disabled people are MAGIC' stories.

 

That said, I think doing this one would be really tricky. There's a fine line between making fun of Sean Penn for over-committing and just making fun of people with disabilities.

[BorisMelvin 5]

Because you never go full retard.

 

Along with Crash, this is one of those Oscar nominated films that makes my blood boil with rage. It's not the worst movie ever, but it's one of those really misguided movies that always makes for a good discussion.

 

Frankly, you are a bad person if you liked I am Sam.

[Archie Liberace 4]

Agree 100%. Ten minutes into this movie and I was cringing. A while later I was laughing and by the end of it I was yelling insults at the screen. Sean Penn was nominated for an Oscar, but he reminded me of an unfunny 8th grader trying to imitate a mentally challenged person.

 

BUT I can not recommend that anyone watch this atrocity - it is very uncomfortable viewing.

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

Sean Penn's over the top performance isn't even the worst part about this movie. I don't know who the director was but I'm almost positive he was a music video director at one point.

[Johnny Unusual 525]

Too be fair MANY directors, good and bad, have started off with Music videos.

[seanotron 2307]

Too be fair MANY directors, good and bad, have started off with Music videos.

 

Very true. Sometimes you get a Michael Bay and sometimes you get a Spike Jonze.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

 

Very true. Sometimes you get a Michael Bay and sometimes you get a Spike Jonze.

Or a David Fincher!

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

I was mainly just pointing out that it looked very much like a music video in a lot of parts. There have been a number of music video directors who made the jump, but thte good ones don't make movies that look like shitty 2 hour music videos.

 

I'm not even sure if the director did direct music videos, just that his style is that of a crappy music video director.

[sillstaw 414]

There's a surprising lack of information on the director on the Internet. No Wikipedia page, IMDb page only has her credits, etc. That said, she doesn't appear to have directed music videos; her only other directing credit is "Corinna, Corrina." (Though she has written movies like "The Story of Us" and "Stepmom," which says a lot.)

[stellamarch16 5]

I am Sam is the only movie of Sean Penn's I honestly did not like. I felt it he tried a bit too hard in it, but come on his acting wasn't bad maybe the direction is to be blamed.

[SlidePocket 707]

It is also notable for giving Dakota Fanning her big break, so at least that counts for something.