This is a really great movie I just saw last Saturday. It came out in 2001 and stars Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer. Four stars. It is about a mentally retarded and autistic man (Penn) who gets a homeless woman pregnant. When the baby is born, she just up and leaves him to raise her (a surprisingly cute little 7 year old Dakota Fanning). Usually I can't stand her, but I guess 7 year old precociousness can be cute but loses it's cuteness at around 11.
Sam is really easy to fall for. He is obsessed with The Beatle's for one thing. And you just can't help but sympathize with him raising a little girl on his own. He works at Starbucks and tries so hard to do the right thing even though, of course, he's clueless. Luckily he has an agoraphobic neighbor (Dianne Wiest) who helps him to understand the little things like how newborn babies need to eat every two hours. He also has this adorable bunch of friends (all challenged in a myriad of ways) that help him.
They seem to be getting on OK, then on Lucy (Diamond)'s 7th birthday, DCFS gets called and she is taken away from Sam. It becomes clear that poor Lucy loves her dad so much, but knows he is different from other daddys. She is super smart, but stops trying when she discovers that she is starting to get more intelligent than her dad and it upset her. So she's having problems at school.
The rest of the movie is Sam trying to get Lucy back with the help of a high-priced lawyer (Michelle Pfeiffer). She ends up accepting it pro-bono to prove to her colleagues that she's not a total snobby piece of crap. Said lawyer, by the way has a young son who she has no real relationship with.
As the movie progresses she becomes less and less annoyed by Sam and really starts to like him and to want to help him. He ultimately prods her into an epiphany about what is wrong with her life and relationship with her son.
I don't want to go much further with this, but it is a must see. Sean Penn is brilliant. It is moving and sweet. Really, really good.
21 comments:
I know Sean Penn is a good, maybe great actor but his is one I seldom watch be cause I hate him. I guess it is political and I don't usually hold an actors personal views, morals or politics against them. i.e. Jane Fonda, Tim Robbins, Frank Sanatra, many others. But Penn I usually stay away from. Maybe I'll see the Sam movie. I like Dakota Fanning. Did you see the Densel Washington Mexican kidnap movie, Fire something? Very good but bloody.
What the hell does "epiphany" mean?
I love this movie Cat! I didn't see it until about a year ago and it was on cable and nothing else was on. Cam and I were hooked in the first few minutes. The whole Beatles thing is just the icing on the cake for me! Dakota Fanning is so good, it is hard to believe she is so young. I actually don't have much of a problem with her, (and I love the Amy Poehler skits on SNL she does about her.) Anyhoo, I totally agree with Cat, a must see!
And dad, when it comes to Sean Penn, I beg you to get over your hang-ups with him. He is one of the best actors of our time. Have you seen Mystic River? Holy Crap! That is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It also stars Tim Robbins, so there are two actors you need to get over your hang-ups with, but I guarantee it is one of the best movies you'll see in a long time. Clint Eastwood directed it, does that help?
Rob and I saw this movie in the theater. I loved it, except I came to start bawling every time the little girl was on the screen. It really pulled on my heart strings. Seriously, it would show her face for a frame and the water works would start again. Rob didn't enjoy it as he found it too upsetting. "Too real" he said. This was Dakota Fanning's first movie if I remember right (first I saw and I hadn't heard of her then), and she blew me away, as did Sean, he was brilliant.
I understand hang ups with actors because of their personal lives (see Russell Crowe) dad, and everyone tells me I need to get over it. You didn't include Susan Sarandon, do you have a hang up about her too? Just wondering. Wait, you DON'T hold Robbins political views against him, so I imagine same goes.
Mystic River is tight!!! See that.
By the way dad, an epiphany is one of those moments that just makes you go hmmmmm. It's when something happens in your life that kind of startles you and makes you realize that maybe not everything you think is right, maybe there is another way of thinking out there that isn't so bad.
In the case of Michelle Pfeifer in I Am Sam, she was a career lawyer that didn't have much time for her own son. Taking on the case of a father and daughter who wanted to be together so bad, made her take a second look at what was going on in her own life with her son.
That's the best way I know to describe it.
Out of curiosity, I looked up epiphany on dictionary.com. Here is what they say:
epiphany: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
Ems: If you did not see Cinderella Man because of Russell Crowe you shirley have missed out on a great movie. Get over it! I'll see I Am Sam if you will see Cinderella Man. Deal? Take that as an epiphany...
I never saw it. Want to now though.
Alright dad, you have a deal, and yes, I totally skipped Cinderella Man for that very reason.
This will be my very first Russell Crowe movie EVER! Grrrrrrrraar.....
You need to see A Beautiful Mind and Gladiator!!! Like today becuase they are awesome!! A Beautiful Mind is one of my facorite movies, so good.
Baby steps, Haley, baby steps.
What About Bob again tee hee.
Dad is right on Cinderella Man! I don't like Russell Crow either, but that is a really good movie. And I really don't like the actress, Renee Zellwiger? I think that is who it is. Despite those two being in the movie, it is really good. And 3:10 to Yuma is another really, really good Russell Crow movie. I loves it so much! Christian Bale is in it!
Dad is right on Cinderella Man! I don't like Russell Crow either, but that is a really good movie. And I really don't like the actress, Renee Zellwiger? I think that is who it is. Despite those two being in the movie, it is really good. And 3:10 to Yuma is another really, really good Russell Crow movie. I loves it so much! Christian Bale is in it!
Why did that comment post twice?.
Emily: Beutiful Mind is in my top five favorite movies... If your going to see only one R. Crow, see that. But hey, you got a deal with Dad so you better do that I guess. Maybe you will realize he isn't so bad and see it too! I mean, hey, did you ever think you would like LOTR?? Cinderella Man is AWESOME (Kevin voice) though. I wasn't a big fan of Gladiator. I fell asleep in fact.
Ok. I wasn't finished. One of the reasons I love Beautiful Mind so much, is because some parts of it remind me A LOT of my mission, if you know what I mean. Like the parts of my mission where I went crazy and went home. ha ha. So maybe it won't be as good unless you have manic episodes once in a while.
I am not aware of Haley having any manic episodes.....
Alright dad, Cinderella Man is in my queue, and I gotta say, I'm a little disgusted and might throw up a little.
Back to Mystic River, if you can't handle the movie, at least read the book. Sue did you read it? Dave's (Tim Robbins) big scene (gun to his head) is incredible, as you get to be inside his head for it. One of those instances where I was very glad I saw the movie first, as the book just totally enriched the movie, instead of being mildly disappointed in how the movie turned out.
I have not read the book. I've seen the movie about 10 times, but I bet the book is good. I love Tim Robbins character. I really like the actor who played his wife too.
That river movie is now in my queue now. I don't like Tim Robbins either but I like his movies. Especially The Shawshank Redemption and I.Q. I hope I can get through Mistic River.
Oh Dad, I guarantee you will like Mystic River. It is just right up your alley.
My alley is pretty wide and deep! It should fit in.
hahaha! Dad your deep and wide alley will love Mystic River. Kevin Bacon is in it too. He is really good.
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