I Am Sam [DVD] [2001]

Sean Penn won an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a mentally challenged father in the emotional I Am Sam. New Line's work on this 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is exceptional, sporting solid colors and dark black levels. This is a nearly reference quality image without any imperfections or blemishes to be found. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, DTS Surround, and Dolby 2.0 Surround, all in English. Both the DTS and Dolby 5.1 soundtracks are very full and bombastic. Each mix utilizes a multitude of directional effects, mainly when the music score or songs kick in. Much like the video portions of this disc, the audio tracks are free of any imperfections or defects. Also included on this disc are English captions and Spanish subtitles. I Am Sam is part of New Line's "Platinum Edition" DVD series and as such features a nice array of supplemental features. Starting off the disc is a commentary track by director Jessie Nelson. Nelson is very frank and observant while discussing multiple aspects of the story, characters, and production. "Becoming Sam" is a nearly one-hour-long documentary on the making of the film featuring insightful interviews with actors Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer, plus various cast and crew members. This is a well-produced documentary that should please fans of the film. Seven deleted scenes with optional commentary by the director will give viewers an insight into why the sequences were cut from the final film. Finally, there is a theatrical press kit featuring some production notes, cast filmographies, and an anamorphic theatrical trailer for the film.