I Am
A hopeful interview documentary in which Tom Shadyac questions materialism and seeks evidence that cooperation can reshape human life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- hopeful
- earnest
- uplifting
- reflective evening
- discussion group viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film earnest and likable but criticized its shallow, boilerplate collection of interviews and scientifically questionable arguments.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tom Shadyac appears as both interviewer and participant, using his own investigation to connect conversations with intellectual and spiritual leaders.
Materialism is explicitly identified as a central problem, contrasted with cooperation and more humane ways of living.
Critical reception repeatedly characterizes the film as hopeful, well-meaning, and intensely uplifting despite its argumentative weaknesses.
The film assembles remarks from figures including Noam Chomsky, Coleman Barks, and Lynne McTaggart around Shadyac's inquiry into what is wrong with society.
Films like I Am, and why
The Corporation
optimistic documentary inquiry into social problems, human behavior, and collective change
I Am Not Your Negro
spiritual and philosophical documentary built from interviews about consciousness and human society
Baraka
earnest, uplifting documentary exploration of humanity, interconnectedness, and alternatives to materialism
Movie Details
- Director
- Tom Shadyac
- Release Date
- 2010-12-02
- Runtime
- 76 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (59)
Cast
- Marc Ian Barasch
- Coleman Barks
- Noam Chomsky
- John Francis
- Lynne McTaggart
- Tom Shadyac
- Desmond Tutu
- Howard Zinn
- Mahatma Gandhi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is I Am about?
- A hopeful interview documentary in which Tom Shadyac questions materialism and seeks evidence that cooperation can reshape human life.
- What is I Am like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of I Am as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is I Am violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in I Am.
- What did critics think of I Am?
- Critics found the film earnest and likable but criticized its shallow, boilerplate collection of interviews and scientifically questionable arguments.
- Which films are like I Am?
- Films with a similar feel include The Corporation, I Am Not Your Negro, and Baraka.
- How long is I Am?
- I Am runs 76 minutes.
- Where can I watch I Am?
- In United States, I Am is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
