REENGINEERING SAM

Sam Schmidt was an IndyCar driver with promise. He even won Rookie of the Year as a 31-year-old driver. But, after a crash rendered him a quadriplegic, Schmidt had to find a new life for himself and his family. REENGINEERING SAM is the inspiring story of Schmidt’s quest to live a life that includes his passions: owning a successful team; training drivers; and dedicating himself to the research and care of spinal cord injuries through his Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. While looking at Schmidt’s life as a team owner and family man and examining the mindset of professional race car drivers who put their lives on the line in every race, REENGINEERING SAM is the rare documentary that works to inform and uplift. The story is centered on the charismatic Schmidt and his positive outlook on his life and his work. The film becomes even more awe-inspiring when Schmidt begins taking part in scientific studies that allow him to drive a race car again, thanks to still-developing modern technology that utilizes head movements and brain waves, paving the way for advances in the way people with spinal cord injuries operate and communicate. REENGINEERING SAM is a reminder that sometimes nothing can dampen the human spirit. —T.W.