Review of I Am Sam

Introduction

Why are some great films passed over? Come on you know you have watched some god awful movies in your lifetime but now and again one comes along that you feel never gets the recognition it deserves. Cameron Crowe`s Say Anything is a fine example of a box office tank, but is a fabulously poignant movie that only gained a small cult following on video release. There are plenty of others in every genre and here`s another addition.

I am Sam is a heart warming and highly respective look at a mentally disabled father trying to hold on to his young daughter, while the supposedly better minded people around him twist and use his disability to their own ends. This is not a chick flick! It is a tearjerker to anyone but the stone hearted and Penn and Pfeiffer deliver knockout performances that have been totally overlooked. This was a box office tank of chieftan proportions, I don`t think it made an appearance at my local multiplex. Why? I hear you ask if it`s that good. Well I think it`s due to the actor pulling power. Most of Pfeiffer and Penn`s previous celluloid outings have also suffered the same ticket sale slumps. Penn`s last best effort being the Michael Douglas thriller The Game and Michelle`s lame take on the ghost story genre with What Lies Beneath failed to be a punter puller.

It`s sad I know but that`s the way the Hollywood market cookie crumbles!

Video

Presented in widescreen anamorphic 1.85:1 ratio this is a top notch transfer from an immaculate print. Not a blemish, scratch or flare out to be seen. There`s probably quite a few prints out there that never got used, shame on me! The depth of the picture is almost 3D in places with solid blacks and sharp whites that never smear or halo. The picture is free from any digital artifacts even on areas of solid colour. I just had to use my bit rate button to see the transfer rate and it does hit very high on the bar.

Audio

You get both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 surround. Both offer smooth fidelity with dialogue clear and precise from the centre channel. The bass never needs to kick up a fuss with this subtle movie and rears are left for just ambient background noises to create a sense of realism.
That said the movie has some great Beatles covers and these really come into their own with an enveloping surround stage. The DTS is a bit more mellow than the Dolby Digital mix and therefore my preference as the better mix.

Features

You get an informative director`s commentary that highlights a good few misconceptions the viewer may have while watching this movie. Why would Sam work in a Starbucks? Well apparently it`s not just blatant product placement, because the world dominating coffee conglomerate actually gainfully tries to employ disabled individuals! So There!

You also get some great deleted scene that contain fabulous improv moments from Penn. These all come with an optional director`s commentary.

There`s also the usual trailers and a press and publicity kit of stills and marketing bits and bobs.

Conclusion

A terrific picture that stands well or even above the likes of Rain Man. Don`t believe the lack of hype over this magical picture. Buy it and a box of tissues and enjoy!