Press

REVIEWS

“There are very few projects as impactful as Sam Now. Balancing a dynamic energy with haunting emotions, the film is a focused slice of real life that captures a truth so powerful and complex that it simply can't be fully understood in the realm of fiction. The feature is touching in all the right ways and stands tall as one of the best films of the year.”
- Carson Timar, Clapper

"Reed Harkness has made a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime film. Filled with intimate family footage, Sam Now feels like a novel or a well-crafted drama, but it’s all too true. It’s a truly artistic documentary, which should be seen and embraced by discerning audiences in North America and abroad."
- Marc Glassman, POV Magazine

“A meticulous excavation of a family that's riveting from the jump, delivering the full spectrum of emotions in a fantastically artistic, honest and satisfying package that's hands-down one of our faves of the fest."
- Movie Pie

“The movie comes alive once the mystery appears to have been solved. What follows is a remarkably complex exploration of fractured family dynamics that calls to mind Maggie Gyllenhaal’s 'The Lost Daughter' in its nonjudgmental gaze and naked vulnerability."
- Matt Fagerholm, RogerEbert.com

“Delightful is not a word you’d expect to hear describing a film about a 14-year-old boy abandoned by his otherwise loving mother. But in director Reed Harkness’ SAM NOW, the delight comes from Sam, the filmmaker’s charismatic half-brother. Harkness captures the heart of his family in good times and bad... SAM NOW is frustrating, heartfelt, and indeed, delightful."
- Thom Ernst, Original Cin

“The film shines because of its light, thoughtful and compassionate approach to its subjects… Sam Now is a road movie, a coming-of-age, a healing journey, and a complex portrait of abandonment. It’s also a moving ode to the power of brotherhood and, in many ways, an exhibition of how a filmmaker evolves through the years. ”
- Ricardo Gallegos, But Why Tho

“The film that changed my life... I hate to sound dramatic but my viewing of Sam Now felt almost supernatural. I had read about how sometimes great art can make you feel that way, how it can totally gut you, transform you, chew you up and spit you out in the best of all ways, but I had never experienced that phenomenon myself, not until that moment."
- Jennifer Julia, Telluride Daily Planet

“A creative adventure into self-discovery that casualties in life often repeat themselves inflicting harm on the next generation.”
- Robert K. Stephen, Set The Bar

“Sam Now reminds us that, while the road to healing is never a straight line, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth traveling.”
- Steve Norton, In The Seats

"Edited with precision, SAM NOW explores many emotional topics which include emotional child abuse and narcissism with finesse and even humour. Scenes of discomfort marry beautifully with lighthearted ones... I cannot wait to see what Director Reed Harkness will do next.
- Mr. Will Wong

"A quite fascinating multi-decade journey of self-discovery."
- Sean Kelly, SK On Movies

“The film offers an engaging and nuanced glimpse into this unique family situation, and a moving reminder of how the choices that parents make impact their kids, in a cycle that continues until someone makes the effort to stop it.”
- John Corrado, Joy of Movies

"It's a masterful editing achievement to stitch an 80-minute family portrait from material that could so easily be precious, overlong and myopic. Instead, the film balances the constant allure of the past with the irresolvable present."
- Chance Solem-Pfeifer, Willamette Week

“'Sam Now' finds optimism in the midst of heartbreak. Despite the tear-jerking events that occur in this film, it was a heartwarming piece. It offers viewers hope for the future, despite what may have happened in the past. 'Sam Now' took care to ensure that its audience would leave the film with optimism for themselves and others.”
- Megan Hohl, SCAD District