Home / I Am Sam

I Am Sam

Year:

2002

Duration:

132 min

Genres:

Drama

IMDB rate:

7.6

Director:

Jessie Nelson

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2002-01-25

Filming Locations: Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $22,000,000

Opening Weekend: $67,418 (USA) (30 December 2001)

Gross: $40,270,895 (USA) (14 April 2002)

Cast

Actor

Character

Elle Fanning

Sean Penn

Sam Dawson

Michelle Pfeiffer

Rita Harrison Williams

Dakota Fanning

Lucy Diamond Dawson

Dianne Wiest

Annie Cassell

Loretta Devine

Margaret Calgrove

Richard Schiff

Mr. Turner

Laura Dern

Randy Carpenter

Brad Silverman

Brad

Joseph Rosenberg

Joe

Stanley DeSantis

Robert

Doug Hutchison

Ifty

Rosalind Chao

Lily

Ken Jenkins

Judge Philip McNeily

Wendy Phillips

Miss Wright

Mason Lucero

Conner Rhodes

Scott Paulin

Duncan Rhodes

Bobby Cooper

George

Kit McDonough

Ms. Davis

Kimberly Scott

Gertie

Michael B. Silver

Dr. Jaslow

Caroline Keenan

Rebecca

Eileen Ryan

Estelle Dawson

Mary Steenburgen

Dr. Blake

Marin Hinkle

Patricia

Chase MacKenzie Bebak

Willy Harrison

Rafer Weigel

Bruce

Emiko Parise

Nurse

Pamela Dunlap

Grace

Brent Spiner

Shoe Salesman

David Nathan Schwartz

Principal

Kathleen Robertson

Big Boy Waitress

Karen Bankhead

Rita's Colleague

Janet Adderley

Obnoxious Mom

Katie McGloin

Cristina

Steven Maines

Collin

Dennis Fanning

Vice Cop

David Poynter

Cafeteria Worker

R.D. Call

Cop at Park

John Paizis

Starbucks Father

Russ Fega

Starbucks Angry Man

Erinn Seaghda Rice Goletz

Starbucks Barista

Julie Claire

Starbucks Customer

Marnie Martin

Starbucks Woman

Tony Abatemarco

Court Clerk

Will Wallace

Bill Carpenter

Scott Weintraub

Scarecrow

Nicholas Mele

Booking Cop

Brian Bialick

Brian

Molly Gordon

Callie

Nora Kroopf

Sara

Allison Thormahlen

Lucy Infant

Jillian Thormahlen

Lucy Infant

Ryan Williams

Lucy 6 Months

Felicity Ann Forbes

Lucy 18 Months

Makindra Sherry Forbes

Lucy 18 Months

Amanda Lehaf

Lucy 4 Years

Roma Maffia

First Family Court Judge (uncredited)

Michael McElroy

(voice) (uncredited)

Clara Soyoung

Extra (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

There was originally to be a line where Brad (Brad Silverman) asks Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer) "Are you wearing a Wonder Bra, because you look wonderful today...". Silverman thought the line was offensive to David E. Kelley (Pfeiffer's husband) and refused to say it.

Share this

As preparation for his role, Sean Penn visited L.A. Goal, a center in Los Angeles for Mentally Handicapped persons.

Share this

At the Foster Home, even though a perfectly good bed is available to Lucy, she sleeps in a hammock in the corner of her room, much like the crib Sam made for her.

Share this

Goofs

When Sam and Lucy are being observed and they are talking, just before Lucy talks to the people observing her she turns her head towards the "camera". The next shot, she turns her head again before talking.

Share this

In the first courtroom scene, the judge asks to see Sam back in court on January 5th, supposedly a month after that day. However, the board of cases for the day says the date is August 20th.

Share this

Credits list "starbucks barrister" instead of "barista".

Share this

Quotes

Ifty: I saw that on Channel 5 news... With the reporter with the toupee and Mr. Turner lost his toupee!

Share this

Ifty: Yeah. It's an outgoing message so I think you need to sound a little more outgoing.

Share this

Rita: [pounding her hands] Sam, you gotta be firm on this.

Share this

Faq

I am confused by the ending. Who wins custody of Lucy?

The ending is a bit unclear. At the end of the movie, Randy (the foster mother) realizes that Sam does truly love Lucy and is a fitting parent so she surrenders Lucy to him and says she will offer her support to him at the court hearing. Sam then confides in Randy and tells her that he can not raise Lucy by himself and that Lucy will need Randy - a strong mother figure - in her life. The final scene shows Lucy playing soccer and everyone (Sam, Rita, the foster parents and Sam's friends) in attendance. This can mean one of two things:1) Sam and the foster parents both have joint custody of Lucy.or2) Sam was awarded full parental rights of Lucy but her former foster parents still remain close with Lucy.

Share this