Josh and S.A.M.

Josh and S.A.M.

Year: 1993

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Billy Weber

ActionComedyAdventure

Facing their mother’s impending marriage to a French accountant, Josh and Sam are sent from home to live with their father in Florida. Josh convinces Sam that they are “S.A.M.”—boys slated for a war in Africa—and that Canada offers refuge to any who refuse. As they drive north, the brothers grapple with betrayal, hope, and desire to return home.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Josh and S.A.M. (1993)

Trace every key event in Josh and S.A.M. (1993) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Departure from mom's house to stay with Thom

Josh and Sam leave their mother's home in the San Fernando Valley to move in with Thom in Orlando. Their mother is engaged to a man Josh dislikes, which fuels Josh's resentment and sense of being excluded from the new family. The move sets up a tense, uneasy dynamic between the brothers and Thom's household.

San Fernando Valley, California
2

Josh's revenge plan and Sam becomes S.A.M.

Josh schemes to get revenge on Sam for siding with his stepbrothers and begins to brainwash him. He convinces Sam that he is a genetically designed child warrior with the acronym S.A.M. The lie deepens their bond in a dangerous, dishonest way and seeds future trouble.

Family home, San Fernando Valley
3

Dinner reveals the move back to California

At dinner, Thom explains they must fly back to California to collect the family belongings. He reveals that their mother and her fiancé plan to move to Europe for a year, so the boys will live with Thom. The announcement heightens tensions as Josh begins to feel even more unwanted.

Family home, dinner scene
4

Dallas layover after the thunderstorm

During the flight toward California, a thunderstorm forces the plane to divert to Dallas, where the brothers must spend a night in a hotel. Josh's frustration with family life grows, nudging him toward abandoning Sam. The disruption becomes the spark for the ensuing chaos.

overnight Dallas, Texas
5

Crash at a reunion and lies take hold

In Dallas, Josh crashes a high-school reunion and lies that his mother is a graduate, hoping to impress strangers. Derek Baxter, a drunken man, claims to have once been involved with the woman whose pin Josh took. The encounter underscores how Josh's fabrications are spiraling out of control.

that night Dallas, at a high-school reunion
6

The break-in and the altercation

Derek drives the boys to a random house, where he confronts them after seeing the truth behind Josh's lies. In self-defense, Sam hits Derek with a billiard ball and Josh knocks him with a pool cue, leaving Derek unconscious. Afraid of being implicated, the brothers flee and steal Derek's rental car.

immediately after the reunion Dallas area / random house
7

Westward road trip with Allison and the Liberty Maid lie

With the stolen car, Josh, Sam, and Allison—the runaway from Hannibal, Missouri—hit the road across the Western United States. Josh's lies lead them to believe Allison is the 'Liberty Maid,' a mistaken identity that keeps them on the run. The trio evades authorities while the deception unravels slowly.

during the road trip Western United States roads
8

Motel stop, car theft, and a roadside chase

During a night stop in a motel, Sam steals the car and abandons it on the roadside. Josh tracks the stolen vehicle, but it breaks down, forcing him onto a bus. He later spots Sam clinging to the back of a tractor-trailer, and the two eventually separate at the border.

overnight Motel in the Western United States
9

Border crossing and brief reunion in Canada

The brothers reach the Canada border after their chaotic journey and share a brief reunion at the crossing. The tension of their lies remains, and they prepare for separate paths—Josh staying in Canada while Sam heads toward Orlando. The cold border marks a hard turn in their flight from the truth.

Canada border
10

Sam returns to Orlando and reports in

Sam arrives in Orlando and tells Thom what happened and where Josh has been. Thom reveals that he had already spoken with Dallas police, who clarified that Derek was not killed by Josh but knocked unconscious. The family begins to confront the real consequences of the brothers' fabrications.

Orlando, Florida
11

Josh returns to Orlando; the truth surfaces

Josh makes his way back to Orlando, hoping to slip back into life with Thom. Sam greets him by exposing the truth through a computer file trick that reveals Josh's lies. The deception that drove their journey crumbles in the face of this digital indictment.

Orlando, Florida
12

The final turn of the tables

With the truth laid bare by Sam's computer-file reveal, the brothers' schemes collapse and their relationship faces a stark reckoning. The film closes on the note that deception has redefined their bond and left them to confront the consequences at home.

Orlando, Florida

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:35

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