Though devastated by the loss of his wife, Sam, played by Tom Hanks, is committed to being a positive and caring father for his son Jonah. Hanks is particularly good at showing us how Sam's love for Jonah both sustains him and makes him miss his wife even more because every moment reminds him of how much he wishes she could share his pride or supply some guidance. Look for Hanks's expression as he arrives at the top of the Empire State Building in search of Jonah, who has flown to New York from Seattle in search of a woman he thinks might be right for his father. The combined relief and desperation as he asks himself more than Jonah whether they haven't been doing all right is something every father can understand.