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.

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.

Amira and Sam does what great art should do: open our minds to thought-provoking and relevant issues while doing so in an enjoyable and highly entertaining way. There are elements of this film that will be familiar to many fans of the rom-com genre but it is much more than that standard fare. It challenges perceptions of veteran assimilation and immigration. Like the character of Sam, I am a veteran of Iraq. Upon my return home, the most difficult thing for me to confront was a society that was completely disconnected from the war effort and the sacrifices of the very few who were asked to fight it. I was also troubled by the many people who thought of all Iraqis as the enemy whereas I saw the bravery and heroism of many Iraqi citizens who joined the coalition forces in fighting the insurgents and sacrificed of themselves to rebuild their country. I feel Amira and Sam is the first movie to speak to those issues in an real and genuine way. I applaud the filmmakers for tackling such important topics yet choosing to tell a story that is at the same time incredibly funny and entertaining. Comedy is at its best when it speaks to truth. Amira and Sam uses comedy to help us get to the truth of these important issues. Knowing that this film was written and directed by a veteran and produced by veterans, I can't recommend this movie any more highly. Go see Amira and Sam! You'll love it!

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.

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.