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Life According to Sam

  • 2013
  • TV-G
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
984
YOUR RATING
Life According to Sam (2013)
NewsBiographyDocumentaryDrama

A moving look at a couple's inspiring efforts to save their only son Sam from the rare and fatal premature-aging disease of progeria.A moving look at a couple's inspiring efforts to save their only son Sam from the rare and fatal premature-aging disease of progeria.A moving look at a couple's inspiring efforts to save their only son Sam from the rare and fatal premature-aging disease of progeria.

  • Directors
    • Sean Fine
    • Andrea Nix
  • Stars
    • Sam Berns
    • Leslie Gordon
    • Scott Berns
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    984
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Sean Fine
      • Andrea Nix
    • Stars
      • Sam Berns
      • Leslie Gordon
      • Scott Berns
    • 11User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Photos5

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    Top cast13

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    Sam Berns
    • Self
    Leslie Gordon
    • Self
    Scott Berns
    • Self
    Francis Collins
    Francis Collins
    • Self - Director, National Institutes of Health
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Dr. Francis Collins)
    Audrey Gordon
    • Self
    Sumaria
    • Self
    Priya
    • Self
    Niccolo
    • Self
    Sammy
    • Self
    Megan
    • Self
    Devin
    • Self
    Zoe
    • Self
    Dave Matthews
    Dave Matthews
    • Self
    • Directors
      • Sean Fine
      • Andrea Nix
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    8.1984
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    Featured reviews

    10Msbnitski

    Sam Berns, my great new earth bound angel.

    Growing up and being a child that thought my world would end if things did not go my way, my wonderful parents would remind me that someone is always worse off than my own self centered, delusional, sometimes bratty self. They were of course, correct.

    This movie grabs you in so many ways that all of us should be ashamed at how self centered we all are. Life is a huge challenge but, you look at this family and you can't help but smile at how all of them were determined to never ask for pity but instead they embraced life's challenges and worked through them learning how to make moments and time matter to the fullest.

    I'm not a religious person but, I believe, after watching this program and seeing the beautiful innocent faces of these people that if there is a heaven they all have a special place waiting for all of them. God bless all of the special people that try to make a difference for these angels among us. I think it's time for some Christmas miracles and some special good cheer.
    10Tembrock

    Extraordinary Film

    This is one of those films that I'm simply a better person for having seen. I was fortunate enough to see it at the Sundance Film Festival and enjoy and Q&A with both the filmmakers and Sam himself with his parents (via Skype on the big screen).

    It is a wonderfully intimate look at an incredibly challenging turn of events for this family that discovers their son has this rare disease and the choices they make in reaction to a bleak prognosis by doctors. Most of all I think I enjoyed Sam's perspective. As the movie title indicates we're let in to the world view of this young man and even as I type this I well up in recalling his wonderfully optimistic and yet realistic look at life.

    Sometimes I see films like this advertised and I avoid them because I think the subject matter is going to be difficult and I'd rather see something more escapist. That's fine but I would only say that if that is your take after seeing the subject matter, see the film anyway! You'll not regret it. In many ways it's extremely life affirming and very positive.

    Bravo to the filmmakers and to the family for sharing their lives with us.
    10radford_andy

    Brilliant and uplifting

    I have been rating movies on IMDb for quite a few years but have never written a review. After seeing this documentary I felt I needed to write something that would encourage people to watch it.

    Being a father of a 2 year old this documentary was hard to watch at first. I found myself putting myself in the parent's position and found it heart breaking. The more you watch the more of Sam's personality shines through and this brought a smile to my face. By the end I felt uplifted and lucky that my little boy is healthy. I will never take that for granted.

    This should be watched by everybody. If you can watch this without welling up then you have no soul.

    Sam has sadly passed away recently. My thoughts go to his parents and friends who must miss a brilliant and brave boy.
    7MattBrady099

    In memory of Sam Berns.

    What a remarkable boy that Sam Berns was.

    Life According to Sam tells the story about Sam Berns when he had progeria, a progressive aging disorder so rare that fewer than 250 children in the world had it at the time. Little was known about the disease, and all children with progeria died of heart attack or stroke at an average age of 13. Told there was no treatment or cure, they refused to accept that as the final verdict.

    Now normally I'm not such a big fan of documentary's but a couple of times I will find a interesting and enjoyable one time to time, but I don't really watch that much Documentary's. But what really got me interested in Life According to Sam is the fact when Sam Berns sadly passed away in January 2014 and I heard nothing but great and inspiring things from this kid and a Documentary about him made me inserted to know more from Sam and boy dose this Documentary do it well.

    I won't lie but this movie or Documentary if you like to call almost brought me into little tears, yeah I know it's not very manly to admit cracking up in a couple of scenes but since I've always got to be honest when it comes to movie I won't lie that this only most brought me into tears.

    Sean Fine and Andrea Nix did a excellent job directing this Documentary with much care and effort that made this more effective to me.

    For problems I didn't really have any to be honest. And the reason why I'm not going to give it 5/5 start's is because it's great but not on the level of oh my god this is amazing 5/5 star's, but it's still good without a doubt and if you had the chance to watch this then go ahead it may not be a easy watch sometimes but it's still worth checking.
    10georgepeternel

    Life According to Sam is at the top of my list of "Most Inspiring Films of 2013."

    Three intertwined stories are creatively woven together in this somewhat understated gem: a story of how a child with the rare and untreatable disease progeria lives and views life as it has been dealt to him; a chronicle of how his parents'love for him provided them with moments of fear, anxiety, struggle and yes, celebration; and an insider's view of how the world of medical research and clinical trials really works.

    Connect these dots with the themes of love, courage, persistence,and overcoming tremendous odds and you have a film that made me think and feel. And think and feel some more.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Sam passed away from his illness at the age of 17

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • January 21, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 我不老,我只是早熟
    • Production companies
      • HBO Documentary Films
      • Fine Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34m(94 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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