"Amira & Sam" (2014) - Sam Gall's Movie Review Issue #22 Gem Mint 10.0

“Amira & Sam” (2014) directed by Sean Mullin

“An army veteran's unlikely romance with an Iraqi immigrant is put to the test when she is faced with the prospect of deportation.”

You might like this if you like: Martin Starr (“Freaks and Geeks”, “Knocked Up”, “Silicon Valley), Romantic Comedies, romance films, comedies, dramas, indie comedies, Woody Allen movies, Judd Apatow stuff, Paul Wesley is in it, “Chasing Amy” (1997) by Kevin Smith

One of my favorite romantic comedies. I cried and laughed and felt so good by the end of this film. I had the pleasure of showing it around 2014/2015 with the Ojai Film Society and fell in love. I was even able to reach out to Martin Starr and Dinah Shihabi to talk about my favorite scene (long take on the bed) and tell them how much this film affected me.

Martin Starr (left) & Dinah Shihabi (right) in "Amira & Sam" (2014)

I saw it alone with an audience, showed it to friends, and now to my fiancé and it melts my heart every time. Martin Starr I’ve loved and cherished from “Freaks & Geeks”, “Knocked Up” and all the way to “Silicon Valley”. I actually didn’t even know he was it when I showed it the first time and was pleasantly surprised and just happy he got such a great lead role. Sad that not many people got to see this one. Everyone else is superb in this.. Dinah Shihabi was new to me but almost stole the show. Paul Wesley was amazing. I honestly haven’t seen him in anything outside of the CW’s “Vampire Diaries” but was really impressed. Not that he isn’t good at Stefan lol.

Sean Mullin (left), Dinah Shihabi (middle) & Paul Wesley (right) promoting "Amira & Sam" (2014)

The writer/director Sean Mullin took a lot of influence from Woody Allen films. Pays nice homages to the great love stories before yet tells an original that resonates with its time. I don’t wanna say too much I already put the synopsis up there.. it’s the sweetest, funniest, most heartfelt film I’ve seen in the past 10 years. In my top 5 of all time. Gotta thank the Ojai Film Society for the original discovery and letting me keep the poster.

Martin Starr (left) & Dinah Shihabi (right) in "Amira & Sam" (2014)

Cool little background on Wiki. Loosely based on Sean Mullin’s life: Mullin, a former member of the New York Army National Guard, had performed stand-up comedy and was a first responder in the September 11 attacks. He decided to create the film after hearing about friends in the U.S. military trying to get asylum for their Iraqi translators.

I love this movie. It will go down in history as one of my all time most cherished films.

Written by Sam Gall on 04/09/20

CGC Grading: Gem Mint 10.0

Official Trailer for "Amira & Sam" (2014) directed by Sean Mullin:

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