10 Movies That Used Great Songs To Trick You Into Watching Them

8. I Am Sam

2001 again, and Michelle Pfeiffer returns to the countdown. This time she supports powerhouse performer Sean Penn in I Am Sam, a drama about a mentally-challenged father who is helped by her high-flying lawyer. Billed as a rare attempt by mainstream cinema (the distributors were New Line) to tackle issues of disability, it also starred Dakota Fanning and Laura Dern. Of course, the fact the soundtrack is wall-to-wall Beatles songs covered by the artists of the day didn't harm the movie's prospects one jot! Nick Cave, Sheryl Crow and Rufus Wainwright lent their larynxes among others. Perhaps producers thought such a familiar musical element would help paper over any audience misgivings about shelling out to watch a difficult story. Either way, it was a clever marketing move on the part of writer/director Jessie Nelson. The film came and went, with views divided on whether it was a heartfelt triumph or something along the lines of Ben Stiller's "Simple Jack" spoof in Tropic Thunder. The real winners perhaps are the Liverpudlian songsmiths themselves, as Paul and Ringo may still be reaping the rewards for having their material included.