Wikipedia article
'Sam' is a Canadian sports drama film, directed by Yan England and released in 2021.[[https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1811069/antoine-olivier-pilon-nageur-film-suspense-sam-yan-england "Antoine Olivier Pilon en nageur dans le film Sam, de Yan England"]. Ici Radio-Canada, July 22, 2021.] The film stars Antoine-Olivier Pilon as Sam, a competitive swimmer who aspires to compete in the Olympic Games, but who is confronted with a momentous event that forces him to reevaluate his life.[Andr Duchesne, [https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/2021-07-26/sam-remonter-le-courant.php "Sam : remonter le courant"]. 'La Presse', July 26, 2021.]
The cast also includes Mylne Mackay as Sam's older sister and swim coach Judith, Milya Corbeil-Gauvreau as Ocane and Stphane Rousseau as Marc, as well as Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Marie-France Marcotte, Catherine Snart, Simon-Daniel Boisvert, Julie Beauchemin and Lvi Dor in supporting roles.
The film premiered on July 26, 2021.[[https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/07/26/photos-la-premiere-de-sam-fait-courir-les-artistes "La premire de Sam fait courir les artistes"]. 'Le Journal de Montral', July 26, 2021.]
Critical reception
Alex Rose of 'Cult MTL' negatively reviewed the film, calling it "a hysterically overwrought drama disguised as a sports film" and comparing it negatively to Pascal Plante's similarly themed 2020 film 'Nadia, Butterfly'.[Alex Rose, [https://cultmtl.com/2021/07/quebec-olympics-drama-sam-is-a-dated-weepie-posing-as-a-sports-film-antoine-olivier-pilon-yan-england/ "Quebec Olympics drama Sam is a dated weepie posing as a sports film"]. 'Cult MTL', July 27, 2021.] He wrote that "'Sam's distributor has asked the press not to reveal any spoilers about the film, which makes discussing it nearly impossible; suffice to say that 'Sam' is the kind of film where you see preposterous twists and coincidences coming early on and hope against all hope that your predictions dont come true. Reader: they all did."[
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Felix Lajoie from le Soleil gave it four starts. "In the long run, the intrigue flows into a frantic rhythm. No pause to fall asleep with endless dialogues. Yan England (1:54) said he wanted to produce a story that keeps the spectator on the end of his seat. We can say that it is successful."
References
Category:2021 films
Category:2021 drama films
Category:2020s sports drama films
Category:Canadian sports drama films
Category:Films shot in Quebec
Category:Films set in Quebec
Category:Films about Olympic swimming and diving
Category:Films directed by Yan England
Category:2020s French-language films
Category:French-language Canadian films
Category:2020s Canadian films
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