Amira & Sam

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I found it to be refreshing that a movie about a veteran doesn't descend into the jingoism so common in American movies about soldiers. I found the speed at which the romance developed to be unrealistically fast, but otherwise I found it quite believable.

Sadly, somebody attached to the movie felt it was appropriate to generate 39 fake reviews. It is possible that some are not fake, but when a review is posted _before_ the movie has been released, that's pretty bad. Normally, I wouldn't mention this because it seems like all movie companies do this on IMDb, but I've never seen such a high proportion of fakes for any other movie.

Caught the world premiere at the Seattle Film Festival. The cast and crew were fantastic. Not only is the acting and directing top notch, but the production value is second-to-none.

Film provided a unique POV on veteran and immigration issues. Moments of unexpected humor and touching emotional echoes of war immediately hook you in.

Film also did an excellent job tackling contemporary issues without a heavy hand. Mullin forces the audience to look at America in a post 9/11 world and, perhaps more importantly, at ourselves as Americans.

This is the standard for independent film. 87 minutes that are well worth your time.

We recently saw this film at the Napa Film Festival and thought it was not only the best movie in the festival but also one of the best movies we saw in 2014. If you have not seen it yet, put it on your "must see" list.

The story is a wonderful love story, complete with the strings tugging at your heart and the joy of seeing two people fall in love in current times. At first, Amira and Sam do not seem likely to form any sort of relationship but soon their true selves emerge, they learn how to communicate and respect each other, like and then love each other.

Writing a screenplay about a balanced, heartwarming and honest movie about a current veteran and an illegal immigrant is not easy, but Sean Mullin nailed it. The cast selection was also suburb - you will be wondering "Where did they find the woman who plays Amira?" She is simply terrific. New York, of course, plays itself.

And by the way, I don't agree with some of the other reviews saying that the movie incorrectly portrays Iraqi/Muslim women. I saw Amira as a smart, fiercely independent, strong and caring woman.

I'm not into romantic comedies, but I caught this movie at the Woodstock Film Festival and was blown away. The characters are all treated with respect and compassion. The dialog and timing are spot on and typical preconceptions about combat vets and Iraqi refugees are effectively challenged. Sam, the recently discharged vet, is presented as a real person trying to adjust to civilian life not a macho or tortured stereotype. Amira, the Iraqi refugee and niece of Sam's Iraqi translator, is charming and vulnerable under her tough veneer. The actors, Martin Starr (Sam), Dina Shihabi (Amira), Laith Nakli (Amira's uncle) and Paul Wesley (Sam's cousin), are all well-cast and excellent. The chemistry between Sam and Amira is effective. Director- Screenwriter, Sean Mullin, has done an outstanding job in his first feature film.

Just watched Amira & Sam at Hampton's Film Festival. Very pleasant surprise! Was expecting your run of mill "boy meets girl" love story and this was anything but that. The film is engaging and funny but at the same time exposes some sensitive political topics without ever making judgments or conclusions-- it leaves that to the viewer which is where it should be. The cast and the casting was fantastic. Starr (Sam) delivers a very convincing performance trying to maintain his principles in a world devoid of them. Dina Shihabi (Amira) matches him step for step. Their chemistry is undeniable and makes the movie click. Very strong debut for her -- who I expect we will see more of as she has the charisma, looks, talent and star power to go further. Also thought Paul Wesley was excellent as desperate, confused, generally weaselly Wall Street guy serving as the perpetual foil for development of Sam's character. Finally, Kudos to writer/director Mullin. From start to finish, the film was very well done. He is able to take several different themes and ideas and and roll them seamlessly into a film that was intriguing, funny and believable.