Martin Starr can be seen in the HBO series, “Silicon Valley,” but he is currently seen playing a different role in the film, “Amira & Sam.” The story takes us back to 2008, where Sam (Starr) comes back to the U.S. after serving overseas, and things have changed. One of the main aspects of the film depictions is that we do not see what is common in films such as this. At most instances, we see how a marine or someone in the service comes home and deal with PTSD. “Amira & Sam” shows us how Sam comes home and sees how the world has changed around him.
After watching the film, it definitely spoke volumes to how people perceive others and things since the 9/11 attacks. How Sam copes with that is very special, especially when it comes to Amira. Starr gave us a quote about what drove him to take on such a part:
“I sat down with Sean (Mullin) and he had such a clear respect on wanting to show a different tale that what you normally see in the media and movies regarding people coming back from fighting for America. He (Mullin) wrote what he knew, and it shows in the honesty of the characters.”
Rounding out the cast in this film include Paul Wesley, Dina Shihabi, and David Rasche. The chemistry between Starr and Shihabi was magic. Love definitely may not have been the first thing on Amira’s mind, but watching it grow, and seeing Sam go to great lengths to protect her, was rewarding.
What an incredible piece! “Amira & Sam” is currently playing in select theaters, as well as available on Video-On-Demand (VOD). It definitely opens up a lot about how the world has changed…not just for Sam itself, but for everyone.
You can download the full podcast with Martin Starr as we talked more about the film, and even brought up “Freaks & Geeks.”
Download the podcast below: