I AM SAM

This is what I call a "comparison film".

The question, "How does it compare to------?" comes up in all creative endeavours. This is one of those films that raises that question according to me.

In the film they look at the differences between having a socially acceptible handicap (i.e. being "the work-a-holic jerk who has no emotional grounding) and being a so called "mentally challenged" person who has so much emotion he doesn't know what to do with it. The film asks what kind of parent the latter person could be. I saw this movie before entering into Fatherhood and again this week. Both times I was quite moved, not only with the whole idea of "who deserves to be a parent?" but by Sean Penn himself. In this movie he finally separated himself from the pack! It is so much more than acting. He has come a long way since Ridgemont High. My favorite Actor because he "is the character" in his work.
I love this movie! It's in my top 10 for sure.