I Am Sam (2001)
Sam, a neurodivergent man, has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy on his own. But as Lucy grows up, Sam's limitations as a parent start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. Sam convinces high-priced lawyer Rita to take his case pro bono and in turn teaches her the value of love and family.
Directors: Jessie Nelson
Cast: Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning, Dianne Wiest, and Loretta Devine
Release Date: December 3, 2001
1 Movie Review
Tears were streaming down my eyes by the end of this movie. Mentally disabled Sam Dawson raised a daughter on his own and he named her Lucy after the song by the Beatles. As Lucy got older, she was getting more smarter than Sam. Lucy's classmates kept laughing at him and called him a retard. On Lucy's eighth birthday, Sam held a surprise birthday party for her but a kid pointed out that Lucy said she was adopted. Sam was hurt and Lucy tried to run away. Lucy later regretted what she had done and never wanted to be separated from Sam. People were starting to doubt that Sam could take care of Lucy and put her in a foster home. He found a lawyer named Rita Harrison who agreed to fight for him for free. During the court case, Sam talked about how a parent's care does is not measured by their intellectual ability. It is measured by their love for the child. He talked about how patient he is with Lucy, how he listens, and tries to support her in every way he can even though he is disabled. He worked hard to get a new job and apartment all because of her even though it was very difficult for him. He admits that he's not a perfect parent and he makes mistakes, but his love for Lucy is beyond measure.