Amira & Sam

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.

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.

Sam and Amira is extremely well done and touches on the issues of Immigration, and re- entry of our soldiers coming back from war. It is also a love story that develops in a very nice and complex way thru the movie. Martin Starr in his first leading man role does a fantastic job and is very believable. His character has a moral code that he sticks to even though he is given numerous opportunity and reason to trade against his values. Amira who is played by Dina Shihabi does a phenomenal job in her first leading role as the reluctant love interest while dealing with her own immigration challenges and discrimination coming from all sides. Paul Wesley is great as a Wall Street type working on the edges of the system trying to help/use his cousin to further his own ambitions. The movie is written and directed by Sean Mullin who himself is a West Point graduate and served this country at Ground Zero. He does a masterful job telling this story with all it's complexities and adding humor as the movie is very funny. Especially the back and forth between Sam and Amira. I saw the Premier at the Seattle Film Festival.

The fact that someone paid someone to place 20 fake reviews on IMDb with 10 star ratings is bad practise and IMDb should not allow it. Made me hesitant to watch it, because if the owner of this project doesn't believe in it, should I? .

About the movie. Take away all political correctness (and what is up with these people feeling offended). Let us run this against the Romcom/Bollywood clichelist:✓ Angry defensive girl, meets friendly naive guy, ✓opposite attracts, ✓A dramatic event brings them together.✓Love conquers all. Yup, seems to be all there. Is is bad? No it's no bad at all.

It's a romcom so no there is no fact checking for every event and some things are done for the cuteness factor. All together it is a nice watch and if the girl wasn't Muslim and the boy was Joseph Gordon-Levitt we'd be having this by the spoonful and declare it the indie 500 days of Summer.

I saw this in Seattle and was shocked by how much I really enjoyed it. Its hard not to wince when I see trailers for another low-budget, indie rom-com, but Amira and Sam finds a way to seem fresh and funny without falling into the standard tropes. If you are a fan of dry humor, then this is going to hit all the right spots for you.

The top billed cast of Starr/Shihabi/Wesley are all immediately believable in their roles and are damn endearing. I had only known Martin Starr from the freaks and geeks days, but his stoicism really lent itself to his role as a recently returned vet. Half the fun of the movie is watching Sam (Starr) flounder through social interactions and day-to-day life while trying to get back up to speed with America and all of the ways that it has changed during his absence.

The soundtrack was pretty good too - it was just enough melody to help accentuate the touching parts of the film without being overbearing and forcing an emotion on you.

Very much recommended!

As an aside, I've read a few 1-star reviews from folks who admit to not even having seen the film. That's too bad - its a difficult thing to not walk away from a flick like this without a little pep in your step.