Storyline
Sam, a soldier who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq, meets Amira when he visits her uncle, Bassam, who had served as Sam's Iraqi translator. Bassam and Sam have a special bond due to their time together in the war. Initially Amira does not trust him because he was an American soldier and her brother was killed by a bomb from American troops in the war. Sam's cousin, Charlie, asks Sam to help him with illegal hedge funds unbeknownst to Sam at the time. Amira is staying with her uncle Bassam since her father died. She sells bootlegged films on the street corner but is forced to stay with Sam after getting busted; immigration officials begin pursuing her. As the film progresses, Sam and Amira fall in love.
Directors
Writers
Cast
Martin Starr, Robert C. Kirk, Daniel Fox, David Rasche, James Chen, Paul Wesley, Christopher Stadulis, Meg Gibson, Melissa Navia, Ross Marquand, Teddy Cañez, Dina Shihabi, Laith Nakli, Alexis Hughes, Alexandra O'Halleran, Rasha Zamamiri, Sean Mullin, Christian A. Paluck, John Leslie Wolf, Taylor Wilcox, Claire Byrne, Jolie Mullin, Mark Elliot Wilson, Bruce Davis, Elizabeth Vereshko, Ben Cole
Trailer
Reviews
80
Village Voice
Writer-director Sean Mullin gives us some of the usual beats, but he and his performers invest them with rare persuasive power.
70
Having downplayed its love story at the start, the picture swells romantically in an unexpectedly pleasing way. It may not be enough to convince audiences that Starr should be Hollywood's next romantic lead, but for these two characters, the chemistry is just right.
70
Starr and Shihabi, a charming newcomer, play off each other beautifully, and even when the film becomes a little too heavy-handed...their relationship keeps it grounded.
70
Amira & Sam came along and swept me off my feet, like Fabio riding a stallion. It largely works thanks to Starr and Shihabi, a pair of likable and restrained actors who build slowly from tangible discomfort toward an unexpected passionate chemistry.
67
It may not be spring yet, but this sweet little gem of a movie is the perfect antidote to that lengthy stretch of grimy gray weather Austin endured a while back.
