49th Favorite Movie - I Am Sam

I Am Sam makes my list because it is a movie that has the rare ability to make you cry not so much because it is sad but because it is beautiful. I guess it is kind of like a wedding in that way - there may be some elements of sadness present in a wedding that bring about tears but really it is a celebration of goodness and beauty and love and that is why people cry.

So the question that I want to address here is "what makes I Am Sam a film that is not just good, but 'beauitful'?"

I would have to start with the story. Sean Penn plays a single dad with autism who has the intellectual capacity of a seven year old. The movie begins with his daughter, Lucy's, 8th birthday. What happens when a child's intelligence and responsibility exceeds that of her parent? Is it ok if a child needs to remind her parent that she can't play because she has homework to do? What if her parent cannot help her with that homework because it is too difficult for him? Questions like these lead to the State's decision to take Lucy away from Sam, despite his tremendous love for her. I like that while you cannot help but root for Sam to win the case in the film, you still have questions about whether Lucy would be better off with another set of parents that she did not have to take care of so much.

Sean Penn's character is contrasted by Michelle Pfeiffer's, a high-priced lawyer who does not connect easily with her young son. The things that come so naturally for Sam - being able to play with Lucy and do things that make her happy - are a stretch for Michelle's character as a parent. This offers some insight on how we sometimes define "success".

Dakota Fanning delivers one of the best child performances I have ever seen, but Sean Penn's portrayal of Sam is equally amazing. If Dustin Hoffman hadn't already won an Oscar for playing an autistic man in Rain Man, I think Sean would have won for sure.

There are two more factors that I think contribute to this film's beauty. The first is the soundtrack, which consists entirely of Beatles cover songs. This fits in well with the story because Sam is a Beatles fanatic and named his daughter after the song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". It is fun and not at all sacreligious to hear these classics done in a new way by folks like Eddie Vedder ("You've Got To Hide Your Love Away"), Sarah MacLachlan ("Blackbird") and Ben Harper ("Strawberry Fields Forever"). The other element that makes this film so beauitful to me is the colors. From the opening shots of Sam arranging the sugar packets at the Starbucks where he works to the last shot of kids' bright jerseys swirling on a soccer field, the bold colors make you feel like you are watching a painting move. And that, to me, is a beautiful accomplishment.