I’m SAM is an American educational comedy film directed by Jessica nelson and written by Kristine Jonson and Jessica nelson. It was released on 28 Dec 2001 and was distributed by New Line Cinema. It is film about mental retardation or developmental disability. This moves around the story of a child named Lucy, her father Sam and her mother with the supporting roles of lawyers. Sean Penn is the developmental disable father of Dakota Fanning, a seven years intelligent daughter, Lucy.

The major character Sam Dawson is a man with mental disability who lives in Los Angeles and he works at Stabucks. He is the close guardian of his seven year old daughter Lucy after her mother left them. Sam is a happy person and has a helpful group of friends with mental disabilities. He has a kind and well caring neighbor Annie who takes care of his daughter Lucy if Sam is unable to attend of her.  In spite of his limitations and disabilities, he creates caring and loving environment for his lovely daughter Lucy. Lucy is teased by her friends by saying retard as her father which makes her too much difficult to accept that she is more intellectual in comparison to her father Sam. She has got very good mental ability in comparison to her age. A social worker visits Lucy on her birth day party and takes her away from her father Sam for her further protection by allowing him to visit two times per week.

According to the advice of his friends, Sam goes to visit the powerful lawyer, Rita Harrison whose fast moving schedule, abrupt manner and difficult personal life had made her famous as cold and cruel. Rita unexpectedly stands in favor of Sam’s case and they work together to protect Sam’s parental rights. Rita gets innocent support of Sam for her family problems; she is encouraged to maintain good relationship with her son instead of her husband.

Lucy lives in advance family with Randy Carpenter during her trial period but they try to convince Sam to return Lucy to his house. Finally, there is a game where Sam plays the role of referee and his daughter Lucy appears as a player of that game in the crowed of the foster family, newly-single Rita with her son and Sam’s friends.