who is the lawyer in i am sam

by Billy Gulgowski 10 min read

Rita Harrison

Who are the actors in the movie I Am Sam?

production attorney Caren Kaplow ... assistant: Ms. Pfeiffer Kristi Kasubaski ... first assistant accountant Anthony Q. Kennedy ... construction medic June Kim ... post production accountant …

Who is Michelle Pfeiffer in I Am Sam?

Sam's friends recommend that he hire Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer), a lawyer. He shows up at her office and starts spelling out his situation while she juggles coffee orders to her assistant, Patricia. Socially, Sam is rather high-functioningmore together in many ways than his high-class, respected lawyer whose marriage is falling apart and whose son hates her.

What is the relationship between Sam and his lawyer?

Jan 25, 2002 · I Am Sam: Directed by Jessie Nelson. With Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning, Dianne Wiest. A mentally handicapped man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.

What is the name of the girl who takes Sam's case?

Rita Harrison ( Michelle Pfeiffer) is our pushy lawyer who backs herself into a corner and takes the case “pro bono.” While she is trying to win Sam’s case, on a personal level she is losing her own family. Yes, some of this feel-good story is contrived, but the acting is so well done that you will forgive most of the plot weaknesses.

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Jan 24, 2002 · Pfeiffer plays the attorney of a mentally challenged man named Sam Dawson (Sean Penn) who could lose custody of his bright 7-year-old daughter, Lucy (Dakota Fanning). The girl's mother, a homeless...

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Did Sam get custody of Lucy?

1) Sam and the foster parents both have joint custody of Lucy.

Is I Am Sam based on true story?

No, 'I am Sam' is not based on a true story. It is a fictional tale conceived by screenwriter Kristine Johnson and the film's director and co-writer Jessie Nelson. Johnson initially got the idea for 'I am Sam' from a real-life father living with a disability.Jan 1, 2021

Who helped Sam in the movie I Am Sam?

neighbor AnnieHis neighbor Annie (Dianne Wiest), a piano-player and agoraphobe, befriends Sam and takes care of Lucy when Sam can't. Sam works at Starbucks bussing tables. Sam is popular with the customers, whom he addresses by name and favorite coffee.

How was Lucy conceived in I Am Sam?

Carrying a Cake: Sam drops a cake he got for Lucy right in front of her. Child by Rape: The circumstances of Lucy's conception are not elaborated upon. As he's severely mentally disabled however he could not give legal consent, so Lucy would be one.

What mental illness does I Am Sam have?

Moreover, the character seemed to encompass virtually every stereotype of a person with autism. Today, in “I Am Sam,” Sean Penn plays Sam Dawson, a father with mental retardation raising his young daughter, Lucy, who is developing typically and whose cognitive abilities are rapidly eclipsing those of her father.Feb 4, 2002

Does Sam have autism in I Am Sam?

The film focuses on the title character of Sam (Penn), an adult man with autism who is struggling to raise his 7 year daughter Lucy (Fanning) on his own. As Lucy's intellectual age begins to surpass that of her father's, social services seek to take her into care, so Sam must go to court to fight for custody.Nov 1, 2019

What happened to the mom in I Am Sam?

The mother disappeared right after giving birth (her farewell words: "All I wanted was a place to sleep"), and now Sam is doing his best to cope, although sometimes Lucy has to help him with her homework. Eventually Lucy decides to stop learning so she won't get ahead of her dad.Jan 25, 2002

What disorder does Annie have in I Am Sam?

Agoraphobia: A review of the diagnostic classificatory position and criteria. Depression and Anxiety, 113-133. "Anxiety Disorders." Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5.Nov 20, 2014

What does Sam learn from Rita?

Rita begins to learn something basic about the human heart when she meets Sam, a mentally challenged adult whose case she takes on pro-bono. Personality… fast-talking, high-flying and far too busy. Rita is the kind of Hollywood lawyer who lives for work and nothing else– not that she's proud of this arrangement.

Who is the homeless woman in I Am Sam?

Dianne WiestSam is well-adjusted and has a supportive group of friends with disabilities, as well as a kind, agoraphobic neighbor, Annie (Dianne Wiest), who takes care of Lucy when Sam cannot. Nearly eight years later in 2001, Sam provides a loving place for precocious Lucy, though she soon surpasses his mental ability.

Did I Am Sam win any Oscars?

Satellite Special Achievement Award for Outstanding New TalentCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young PerformerProducers Guild of America Award - Stanley Kramer AwardI Am Sam/Awards

Who is Annie in I Am Sam?

Dianne WiestSam has worked for eight years as a Starbucks busboy. He has a sunny, outgoing personality, a circle of mentally challenged friends and a neighbor, Annie (Dianne Wiest), an agoraphobic pianist, he can rely on. She's a warm, wise woman whose affliction means she's always home to keep an eye on Lucy (Dakota Fanning).Dec 28, 2001

What is the rating of I Am Sam?

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 35% based on reviews from 145 critics, with an average rating of 4.77/10. The site's consensus reads: "Not only does the manipulative I Am Sam oversimplify a complex issue, it drowns it in treacle." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 28 of 100 based on 33 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A on scale of A to F.

Who is the father in I Am Sam?

I Am Sam (stylized i am sam) is a 2001 American drama / melodrama film co-written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with an intellectual disability, Dakota Fanning as his bright and inquisitive daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer. Dianne Wiest, Loretta Devine, Richard Schiff, ...

Who plays Sam Dawson in the movie?

Plot. Sam Dawson ( Sean Penn ), a Starbucks employee with an intellectual disability, is the single father of Lucy Diamond Dawson ( Dakota Fanning ), named after The Beatles song " Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ," who is a 6/7-year-old second grader following their abandonment by her mother, a homeless woman with whom Sam had a sexual encounter.

Who is the cover artist for the Beatles?

The Grammy Award –nominated soundtrack, in addition to a John Powell score, also has cover versions of songs by the Beatles. Penn commissioned artists such as the Black Crowes, Nick Cave, Stereophonics, Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright, the Wallflowers, Ben Harper, the Vines and Ben Folds, to cover the songs for the soundtrack. Penn's brother, Michael Penn, is also featured on a duet with his wife Aimee Mann .

Is I Am Sam a bad movie?

Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A on scale of A to F. A. O. Scott of the New York Times wrote that " I Am Sam is not a bad movie , and its intentions are unimpeachable.

Storyline

Sam Dawson has the mental capacity of a 7yo. He has a daughter who's homeless mother has abandons them both. Sam's difficulties become problematic, and she's taken away. Sam finds a lawyer who tells the case pro bono. In the process, he teaches her a great deal about love and whether it's really all needed. — Jon Reeves <jreeves@imdb.com>

Did you know

Dakota Fanning 's little sister, Elle Fanning, played her character at age 3.

Where was I Am Sam filmed?

The movie had a 48-day shooting schedule, which is compressed for a feature film, at Los Angeles locations ranging from the museum of art to IHOP and Starbucks. "I Am Sam" arrives in theaters on the heels of films based on wildly popular books that win audiences with wizards and special-effects wizardry.

Is "I am Sam" a true story?

Come Monday, she'll know if that's the case with "I Am Sam.". It was a true story about a disabled father that sparked the idea for "I Am Sam" in Nelson's co-writer, Kristine Johnson. "I thought it was an incredible metaphor for what every parent must feel," says Nelson, married and the mother of a 7-year-old daughter.

What is the balance of the movie?

The balance of the movie shows Sam fighting for his daughter. Rita fighting for her soul. And Lucy running away from her foster parents to be with Daddy. positive elements: Life is supremely valued here. Disabilities, handicaps, inconveniences, disinterest, none of those things negate life’s intrinsic value.

How many times is God's name abused?

God’s name is abused more than a dozen times. There are also five or six other mild profanities and coarse expressions. Rita makes an obscene gesture to a passing motorist. drug and alcohol content: Rita and her peers drink champagne at a party. conclusion: Reactions to I Am Sam are likely to be varied.

What is the movie I Am Sam about?

... "I Am Sam" is the story of an autistic adult and his struggle to maintain custody of his daughter. ... Annie's role, the role of the neighbor, is an important part in the movie and because of her I am able to believe that Sam raised his daughter. ... Seuss Sam I Am, a play on the title. ... The movie I Am Sam reminds us that it's not how much money you have or how important you are but instead all that really matters is love. ...

What is the main character in I Am Sam?

In the movie I Am Sam, Sam, the main character and the focus of this writing, is a "mentally challenged- father who enlists the aid of an attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter. Sam and his pro bono' lawyer must demonstrate that his caretaker capacity has not been hindered by his developmental delays.

Who plays Sam Dawson in I Am Sam?

There are three classification of mental retardation. ... In the movie I Am Sam, Sean Penn plays the role of Sam Dawson a mentally retarded father with the mentally capacity of a seven year old. ... The things named above are just a couple of things that I have noticed about I am Sam that makes me think that autism plays a major role in Sam' life.

What are the three disorders that I have chosen?

Three that I have chosen are Catatonic Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Mental Retardation. ... The final disorder is mental retardation. ... Adults may be able to lead an independent life and no longer be viewed as being mentally retarded. ... In the movie I Am Sam Sean Penn plays a man named Sam Dawson. ... While he is raising the child we see many signs of mental retardation. ...

Can alcohol cause mental retardation?

During pregnancy the use of alcohol or drugs by the pregnant mother can cause mental retardation. ... Accidents such as a blow to the head or near drowning can cause mental retardation. ... More than 500 genetic diseases are associated with mental retardation. ... Word Count: 2060.

I Am Sam

Jessie Nelson's I Am Sam explores the custodial rights of parents with disabilities through the fictional dramatic story of Sam Dawson, a man whose intellectual capacity matches that of his 7-year old daughter, Lucy.

Sam and Lucy

Describe Sam Dawson and his relationship with Lucy. What are some specific needs that Lucy has that Sam is able to fulfill? What are some challenges Sam faces in providing for his daughter's needs?

Custody Battle

What events led to Lucy being removed from her father's custody? What is your opinion of this decision? Explain your answer. What do you think is in Lucy's best interest? Why?

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