I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with a developmental disability, Dakota Fanning as his inquisitive seven-year-old daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer. Dianne Wiest, Loretta Devine, Richard Schiff and Laura Dern appear in supporting roles. Jessie Nelson and Kristine Johnson, who co-wrote the screenplay, researched the issues facing adults with developmental disabilities by visiting the non-profit organization L.A. Goal . They subsequently cast two actors with disabilities, Brad Silverman and Joe... Rosenberg, in key roles. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . The movie's title is named for the line "I am Sam" featured in the book Green Eggs and Ham, which is read in the movie. Sam Dawson , a man with a developmental disability, is the single father of Lucy , following their abandonment by her mother.
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| Release date: | December 3, 2001 |
| Directed by: | Jessie Nelson |
| Rated: |  |
| Runtime: | 132 Minutes |
| Producer: | Jessie Nelson, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick, Barbara A. Hall, Richard Solomon |
| Editor: | Richard Chew |
| Music by: | John Powell |
| Cinematography: | Elliot Davis |
| Screenplay by: | Kristine Johnson, Jessie Nelson |
| Estimated budget: | $22,000,000 |