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.
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.
The film leans left by championing the rights and capabilities of a mentally challenged father against a rigid state bureaucracy, emphasizing love and individual dignity over conventional measures of parental fitness, aligning with social justice themes.
The movie features a predominantly white main cast without explicit race or gender swaps of traditional roles. Its narrative focuses on the sympathetic portrayal of a white male protagonist and does not critique traditional identities, instead centering on themes of disability rights and family.
The film features a gay character, Brad, among Sam's circle of friends. His sexuality is acknowledged but remains incidental to the plot, neither uplifting nor denigrating LGBTQ+ themes. He is portrayed neutrally as a supportive friend.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
I Am Sam is an original film with characters created specifically for its narrative. There is no prior source material, historical record, or previous installment from which characters' genders could have been established and subsequently altered.
I Am Sam is an original film with characters created specifically for this production. There is no prior source material, historical record, or previous installment from which character races could have been established and subsequently changed.
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources