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October 2, 2008
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Should I see it?
Yes.


Short Review: On the Will Smith scorecard, this one makes up for Independence Day. He still owes us four movies like this one to make up for Wild Wild West.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Given his taste for big, splashy McMovies, I forgot Fresh Prince could act. Given that his usual products are little more than live action video games I don’t think I can be blamed for my lack of memory about Will Smith’s ability. Here he offers a nuanced performance as Chris Gardner, a man who despite being severely down on his luck, attempts to survive a competitive internship at Dean Winter. Smith’s performance is critical to the piece succeeding and he manages to deliver the goods. He clearly deserved his Oscar nomination for the Best Actor.

Getting through the film is an arduous task. Chris Gardner simply wants to become a stockbroker. To do this he has to be selected from a group of applicants in the internship program I’ve already mentioned. The problem? He’s uneducated, unconnected, and essentially unemployed. On top of this he is a single father with a small son (played by Smith’s actual son Jaden Smith). Why is so difficult to watch? Gardner is handed so many hardships that it is hard to comprehend a human being could emotionally survive everything he endures. Director Gabriele Muccino and screenwriter Steve Conrad do such a wonderful job at setting up and executing Gardner’s goals and obstacles that his painful journey is believable. They infuse a great amount of tension into a story that should be predicable and a tad outlandish. Mixed with Smith’s charismatic performance, the piece garners a great deal of sympathy. This sympathy is strained over and over again as Gardner suffers unbelievable setbacks. By the time the final act comes around the story is on the verge of becoming ridiculous. The resolution comes at exactly the right time for maximum effectiveness.

There are many who may watch this film and see it as being a tad strong in its message of perseverance. I would argue against this. Garnder’s endurance makes him a valuable role model and showing his hardships (even if they may be pumped up for the sake of the movie – if they were) solidifies to power of refusing to give up on yourself. His story is inspiring stuff and I can’t recommend it enough.

On top of the powerful rags to riches story, this is also a tale of fatherhood. Gardner also serves as a quality image of what a father should be: protective, providing and patient. This film offers a father figure who is a real man who gives his son guidance and care. If only Hollywood produced more father characters such as this as opposed to the usual image of a bumbling moron who is little more than an oversized child.

If you missed this in its initial theatrical release and/or let it slip off your DVD rental queue, I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy and giving it a try.


Related Reviews:
Will Smith movies
I Robot (2004)
Hitch (2005)


Other Critic's Reviews:
ScreenIt!
Cinema Dave

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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 6:00 PM




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