this is not a movie review

I am Sam.

This movie made me realized I can still cry like a baby, and that I'm actually still human.

I just happened to watch the movie yesterday, for the first time (shame on me). I think it was shown in 2001; that's six fucking years before I was able to laid eyes on this wonderful, heartwarming film. And if I remember it correctly, I actually planned of seeing it when it first came out. I don't know what happened though or what hinder me from seeing it (six years + memory gap, not suprising). Prior to watching last night, I have heard a lot of good things about it. And i didn't see anything but good in this movie.

I was watching ASAP yesterday. I was planning to do some reading after that but Dodong (housemate) asked me if I wanted to watch a movie (on dvd). I sure did, so I asked him if he has a copy of Crash (Brokeback Mountain should have won the Oscars! hehe) or Cassanova (it's solely for Heath Ledger - one of my favorite actors). It turned out that he doesnt have copy of both. So I thought of something else. He recommended a few, which he happened to have watched already but I heart I am Sam. So we settled with it.

I was literally crying while watching the movie, beginning to end. I don't see anything wrong with crying over a movie though. It's just that I was crying even while watching it with other people. I am an emotional bastard but I'm not the showy type. So it surprised me that I didn't mind crying that time; I didn't mind what Dodong and his sister Beng would think about it. I just wanted to cry so bad, I would die by just merely thinking of holding those tears.

The story is about a mentally-challenged (retarted - mental/intellectual capacity that of a 7 year old kid) father who, inspite his condition, fought for his daughter from being taken away by the Department of Child and Family Services. It's a story of a father who knew little about almost everything, but knows how to love his daughter big time. It pains me to see Sam being hurt, because you see not a man, but a 7 year-old kid being hurt. Sean Penn is such a good actor for having been able to portray the character of Sam beautifully. And I just love Dakota Fanning. She is so adorable. Michelle Pfeiffer did a wonderful job as well.

This is another story that shows the wonders of love. It tells us that love, most often than not, is all we need.

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Excerpt from the movie I am Sam (c/o http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277027/quotes)

Lucy: Daddy, did God made for you to be like this or was it an accident?
Sam: Ok, what do you mean?
Lucy: I mean you're different.
Sam: But what do you mean?
Lucy: You're not like other daddies.
Sam: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry.
Lucy: It's ok, daddy. It's ok. Don't be sorry. I'm lucky. Nobody else's daddy ever comes to the park.
Sam: Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, we are lucky. Aren't we lucky? Yeah!

*******

Lucy: I won't read the word!
Sam: I'm your father and I'm telling you to read the word. Cause I can tell you to because I'm your father.
Lucy: I'm stupid.
Sam: You are not stupid!
Lucy: Yes, I am.
Sam: No, you are not stupid 'cause you can read that word.
Lucy: I don't wanna read it if you can't.
Sam: No, because it makes me happy! It makes me happy hearing you read. Yeah, it makes me happy when you're reading.
Lucy: [Lucy reads again]

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