(rated PG-13, 133 mins.)
Sam (Sean Penn) is a mentally challenged man who works with meticulous care pouring lattes at Starbucks. He raises his baby girl Lucy Diamond (Dakota Fanning) named for “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds” abandoned by her mother. But that’s ok since Sam, a Beatles fan, gauges life around Ringo and Paul, behaves like a grown-up little kid untouched and non-manipulative. Lucy’s even got an eclectic group of make shift Uncles, who like Sam are a few fries short a happy meal. Add to the mix his neighbor and piano teacher (Diane Weist) who lends a hand now and then with diaper changes. But, that all changes when at the age of seven Lucy is holding back for fear she’ll surpass her dad if she learns anymore. When the school puts Lucy in state custody Sam vows to fight the legal system. But, he can’t afford Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), the perfect high-powered self-absorbed attorney to crack his case. The movie with a “Kramer Vs. Kramer” twist becomes a moving angle of selfless love which is the best gift any parent can give yet mirroring the larger than life with Pfeiffer’s own parental inadequacies. Penn is incredible as his sweet, kind, and unaffected character Sam who is pit against Pfeiffer’s effectively exhausting hell on wheels and power bars attorney. Together they make for a mismatched couple that while quirky and goofy, manages to grow on you to deliver the sanest story out there. There is much to appreciate in this movie that believes it has the answers to an issue seldom challenged.