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Sam Now

Play trailer Poster for Sam Now 2023 1h 26m Documentary Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 97% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Filmed over an expanse of 25 years, two brothers go on a 2,000-mile road trip to solve a family mystery. Shooting on nearly every camera format imaginable, from hand-developed Super-8 film to Arri 4K, Sam Harkness and his older half brother Reed use their creative world of fiction filmmaking to dive headfirst into dealing with the issue at hand: Sam's mom is missing. Sam's wetsuit and mask-wearing alter ego, The Blue Panther, bounds into frame with youthful energy and a heroic spirit of adventure. But can The Blue Panther save the day? And are these fun-loving brothers actually ready for what lies ahead? Solving the mystery of Sam's mom's disappearance is only the beginning of their story. The documentary uses a hybrid narrative approach, drawing from a vast archive of fictional films, home videos, intimate family interviews and vérité scenes from over the decades. Sobering revelations blend with playful home movies and vibrant experimental filmmaking by brother and director Reed Harkness. The brothers take a spontaneous road trip in search of answers. We learn of Sam's mother Jois' complicated adoption history from Japan. We experience the ripple effects on the Harkness family including Sam's brother Jared, father Randy and grandma Doris. And we are there with Sam coming of age from 11 to 36. SAM NOW is about growth. The film balances heavy themes and emotional reckonings with buoyant energy and lighthearted spirit. The optimistic teenage Sam we get to know, with his heart set on finding his mom, grows into a man whose new hope is to break the cycle of generational trauma.
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Sam Now

Critics Reviews

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Moira MacDonald Seattle Times Nov 28, 2023
4/4
I don’t want to reveal the twists and turns of Sam Now, but know that this real-life story heads in unexpected directions, and that in watching it you will be both frustrated by imperfect human behavior and dazzled by the strength of family love. Go to Full Review Noel Murray Los Angeles Times Jun 8, 2023
Sam Now is mostly an honest examination of some common, familiar forms of family dysfunction... Go to Full Review Matt Zoller Seitz RogerEbert.com Apr 10, 2023
4/4
A gentle, empathetic movie that will be unbearably intense for viewers who fear abandonment, but that might prove to be healing, or at least enlightening if they can stick with it to the end. Go to Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience Dec 10, 2023
Reed Harkness’s Sam Now is really something special. A debut that taps into an achingly sad story within his own family, covering decades of pain and the smiles used to cover it up. I could not take my eyes off of it... Go to Full Review Kathy Fennessy Video Librarian Magazine Dec 1, 2023
4/5
After making the theatrical rounds in 2023, Sam Now aired as part of PBS's Independent Lens and on The Criterion Channel. It's one of the finest documentaries to emerge from the Pacific Northwest and one of the very best of the year. Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Nov 14, 2023
FIVE STARS
What begins as a deeply personal coming-of-age adventure, evolves into a macro-micro study of the generational effects of abandonment. It may be a bitter pill, but this brilliant movie conveys things that only documentary Cinema can capture and express. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Wentao M @RT38926745 Dec 24, 2023 Very intimate family film. It's about love and reconciliation. Beautiful and poetic. See more S R @ScottR Jul 9, 2023 I am glad they made this movie. The footage alone is impressive. However, it crescendoed to finding the mother and it turned out to be a sad let down leading to mental breakdowns. We rented it on Amazon. See more T F L @RT95879285 Jun 14, 2023 Sam Now is an amazing story with dedication and heart. The wonderful, charming, and touching story of brothers who want to explore and delve into a core issue of their childhood.... I felt so apart of the family and loved watching the story as the brothers explored love, hurt, independence, and the journey to getting to know themselves more as they grow up. See more Wil K @RT95180428 Jun 10, 2023 Thoughtfully produced, entertaining, insightful, and honest. So glad that this movie is finding its audience! See more Read all reviews
Sam Now

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Cast & Crew

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Reed Harkness

Director

Reed Harkness

Self

Sam Harkness

Self

Jois Harkness

Self

Jared Harkness

Self

Randy Harkness

Self

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Sam Now

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Movie Info

Synopsis Filmed over an expanse of 25 years, two brothers go on a 2,000-mile road trip to solve a family mystery. Shooting on nearly every camera format imaginable, from hand-developed Super-8 film to Arri 4K, Sam Harkness and his older half brother Reed use their creative world of fiction filmmaking to dive headfirst into dealing with the issue at hand: Sam's mom is missing. Sam's wetsuit and mask-wearing alter ego, The Blue Panther, bounds into frame with youthful energy and a heroic spirit of adventure. But can The Blue Panther save the day? And are these fun-loving brothers actually ready for what lies ahead? Solving the mystery of Sam's mom's disappearance is only the beginning of their story. The documentary uses a hybrid narrative approach, drawing from a vast archive of fictional films, home videos, intimate family interviews and vérité scenes from over the decades. Sobering revelations blend with playful home movies and vibrant experimental filmmaking by brother and director Reed Harkness. The brothers take a spontaneous road trip in search of answers. We learn of Sam's mother Jois' complicated adoption history from Japan. We experience the ripple effects on the Harkness family including Sam's brother Jared, father Randy and grandma Doris. And we are there with Sam coming of age from 11 to 36. SAM NOW is about growth. The film balances heavy themes and emotional reckonings with buoyant energy and lighthearted spirit. The optimistic teenage Sam we get to know, with his heart set on finding his mom, grows into a man whose new hope is to break the cycle of generational trauma.
Director
Reed Harkness
Producer
Reed Harkness, Jason Reid
Distributor
Film Independent
Production Co
Lucid Visual Media, ITVS International, Centripetal Films, Roped In Productions, 2R Productions, HA/HA
Genre
Documentary, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 7, 2023, Limited
Runtime
1h 26m
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