Pretty Good

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

This was my favorite movie growing up. The fantasy of being free from parents and the fantasy of being able to drive are what drew me to it. This movie made the red Pontiac Grand Prix an icon for me. Every time I see one, I think of this movie, still to this day. I've recently re-watched it as an adult after not seeing it for a good 18 years, and realized I never understood the plot. After seeing it as an adult, it's still a great movie. The plot is original and for the most part, believable, although the scene where Josh convinces the guy that he's his long lost son, you'd have to be real naive to believe him, but I guess on the believable side, he was drunk, and the character did seem pretty naive. Another scene on the unbelievable side is the scene with the cop, when Josh & Sam are sitting on the picnic bench having lunch with the Liberty Maid, and the cop asks to see her ID for no reason, very illegal and very unlikely to happen. I grew a distaste to Josh for what really is brainwashing his little brother and putting him in such a dangerous situation for what seemingly is for selfish reasons. Josh is really a sociopathic liar who repeatedly gets caught in his lies and uses more lies to cover his tracks. As an adult, I really don't like Josh, and I don't feel sorry for him. As a kid, you really don't notice it. Anyways, good movie, wish it weren't so rare and unknown.

I was one of the few adults who saw Josh and S.A.M. when it first appeared in 1993, attending with a friends 14 year old son. There were only 2 others in the audience, as few were attracted by the awkward marketing of the film. I worked with children in my career as a special ed therapist, and local newspaper reviews of Josh and S.A.M. were rather favorable, so I took a chance. Was I ever surprised! This was one of the best movies about children I had ever seen. While it was mildly funny here and there, it was mostly sad, but not in a bad way. The plot has been thoroughly reviewed by many others on this site, so I'll emphasize the merits of the film. The soundtrack was excellent, and the dialog between Jacob Tierney and Noah Fleiss was complex, but spoken believably throughout, often in a rather quiet manner, which would make younger children tend to tune out. Chris Penn was terrific in a small part playing a man who mistakenly thinks Josh may be his son from an old affair. Martha Plimpton does well as a runaway who resembles a picture on a juice carton that Josh called The Liberty Maid on a flight from Florida to Dallas, trying to convince Sam that she escorts child warriors to safety on an underground railroad. When their road adventure ends and Sam flies back from Canada, leaving Josh temporarily behind, the conversation between Sam and his dad, Steve Tobolowski, is extremely poignant. I admit I tear up rather easily in sentimental moments, but this caught me off guard, and I almost burst into tears. If this type of story appeals to you, male or female, young (over 10) or old or in between, do yourself a favor and buy a used VHS copy of Josh and S.A.M. (Strategically Altered Mutant) It's not what it sounds like. You won't be sorry. This movie really should be released on DVD. It deserves to be seen by a much larger audience.

I take a kind eye to videos hiding in the back of the store, bottom shelf, under the guise of a faded cover and sometimes this can be very rewarding as was the case with 'Josh & S.A.M.'The two titular brothers leave their family to find their family, eachother. After feeling ostracised by their family and school peers, they are driven by dejection to escape, human determination and will seeing them through all.The film also highlights the inner psyche of all who have ever been lonely or outcasted. This in turn offers poignant moments between the brothers as they discuss death and other issues which are sad but real products of today's society like dysfunctional families.The successful portrayal of these themes relies not only on the clever script writing, but the outstanding performances of the boys, in particular Noah Fleiss (S.A.M). What is frightening though is that such a young actor could have such a mature grasp of these issues displayed by his acting ability, but again this is a reflection on society.A film where audience age is no boundary. It will captivate the imaginations of the young and coerce older viewers to examine relationships. 'Josh & S.A.M' reveals to all that even if you have nothing, to have love is to have it all. A simple message for a difficult world.

When i was about 14 i saw Josh and sam for the first time, it was on showtime and i watched it because nothing else was on. Up until that day i had no idea of the open west. I was a city kid and of course the world revolved around my little neighborhood. But Josh and Sam took me away from that. show me there are places out there that aren't made of stone, and opened my mind to the beauty of the open road and what it really means to be free with no boundaries. Just out there in the cool night with no phones, no restrictions just your 1993 Pontiac candy apple red Grand Prix and home is toward the setting sun. This is a great adventure movie for kids and teens 15 and under especially for those with siblings and active imaginations. I highly recommend it.