The Pursuit of Happyness

Definitely one of the better movies of 2006......I think.

Pursuit of Happiness, is directed by Gabriele Muccino, written by Steve Conrad and starring Will Smith. I was touched at the range of emotion, entirely engrossed by the story and completely drained by the end of the film.

The Story
Set in the 1980's in San Francisco, Will Smith portrays Chris Gardner, a father struggling to sell a doubtful medical machine, with dreams of giving his family a better life. On what would seem like a whim, he decides to try to be a stock broker. In order to get the job he has to take an unpaid internship that has little promise of panning out to a job at all. He is months behind on the rent, he hasn't made a sale in a long time but he decides to do the internship anyways. During the internship he and his son can no longer pay the rent and they become homeless.

Gardner is a conflicted character. He wants to improve his family's life but in order to do so he has to risk everything and make their lives harder for a while. There is also no promise of a job if he takes the risk. His wife eventually tires of working double shifts and perceives his aspirations as a fool hardy pipe-dream. Linda, played by Thandie Newton, is tired, frazzled and hopeless. She can no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. Gardner's last scheme had eaten up their entire life's savings. In a fit of selfish anger she leaves for New York and abandons both Gardner and their son, Christopher.

The Good
The story reminds me of Erin Brockovich and is just as touching. Writer Steve Conrad quilts a story of pain, doubt and fear but lines it with a radiant hope. An actor can only be as good as his script and Conrad gives each actor an opportunity to shine.

My hat off to Gabriele Muccino for taking the risk of a light internal narration and making it truly work for this film.

Will Smith's painful scenes are exhaustively powerful. This film required a girth of emotion unrivaled by any of his previous films and Smith does not disappoint. In one scene the script requires an emotional gamut that runs from hopeful, hopeless, silly, tired, exhausted, and eventually to depression. He holds together this scene that could have easily fallen into melodrama with delicate precision. I felt the weight of his physical burdens throughout the movie. A scene that takes place in the Subway station's toilets, is particularly moving. Smith's transformation to "A" list actor is complete.

Thandie Newton plays Linda, Gardner's wife. Newton portrays Linda's justifiable anger with passion and control. She makes Linda more than just a selfish wife who runs off but rather a character so exhausted by being let down that she doesn't want to take it anymore. I felt for Linda because Newton was so exhausted looking and maxed out feeling. Newton is an amazing actress who proves again that her acting is a reason to see a movie.

Jaden Christopher Syer Smith plays Christopher, Gardner and Linda's son.

Often you have to rate a child actor on the "child actor" scale but Jaden can be judged on the traditional actor's scale. He did an exceptional job in this roll. This movie was demanding emotionally on all the characters but Jaden captures the instability so damaging to children in these situations. He also does an incredible job of giving hope to the film. I can't wait to see how he matures as an actor. Numerous movies have been made about women who struggled to get by. I was impressed that this film could touch me and that I could relate to a father's struggle as well.

In Pursuit of Happiness is a powerfully written and acted film. Every scene has an emotional subtlety and expressiveness that touches the audience in a personal and intimate way. I might just see this one again.

The Bad
My only problem is this. Will Smith had a son. He had a responsibility to his son and appeared to be a good father in the film that would do anything for him and so was prepared to sacrifice everything for him, including living in a homeless shelter. I cannot understand, if this story is indeed true, how can any father risk everything including his son for the sake of his dreams? Surely he could have left his son with his wife whilst doing the unpaid internship and if everything succeeded as it did then he could get his family back. And it was America, the land of opportunities. He could have gotten a part time job, at least.....a job to do after his internship hours, something like the way that his wife seemed to be doing. If he really wanted to pay for the rent and food, there were a thousand possible ways to do that while still pursuing his "Dream Job". That is how people get by in the real world. I just fail to see how the message of risk everything can be a good one when you have responsibilities to your children. One should never put one's own ambitions above the need's of one's family.

But then, this is Hollywood. An Hollywood Drama, "Real-life" or not, will always find ways to exaggerate the struggles of the lead characters, when there are, right before their eyes, any number of means to lessen their burden. That is because, all that drama is needed to maintain the effectiveness of the movie. Lets face it, this movie was made clearly for that golden statue, the Oscar. Whatever the fate of the movie, Will Smith truly deserves at least a nomination.

The Point is... (Rating | 6 out of 10)
Watch the movie, definitely worth your time. Though somewhat overtly dramatic, a truly moving essay.

Yours truly,
Ar'Nath