The Pursuit of Happyness

Will Smith
Jaden Smith
Thandie Newton
Brian Howe
James Karen
Dan Castellaneta

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino

For the second time this decade Will Smith is stepping out of the role of hot shot action hero or funny man to play a serious role as a serious person with serious problems. The first, Ali, garnered rave reviews and an Oscar nomination. In his second, Smith plays Chris Gardner, a down on his luck father trying to make ends meet by investing in and selling bone density measuring devices. Unfortunately, the market for this device is pretty slim and soon he cannot support his family. His wife leaves and he has to find a way to support himself and his son. His decision to take an internship that may give them a better life forces both of them to make some incredible sacrifices to find eventual happiness.

What makes The Pursuit of Happyness my favorite film this year lies completely at the feet of Will Smith and his real life son Jaden. While the story of a man sacrificing himself and everything around him to give his son the life he never had is certainly not completely foreign to cinema, it is the way both characters dive into their roles that make this film worth seeing in the theaters. You will want to pick it up on DVD and watch it whenever you are able to sit through an emotional rollercoaster that will have you clenching your fists and holding your breath while experiencing the torment Will Smith emotes almost as if he has lived it himself, to jumping out of your seat and wiping away tears of joy at the films little triumphs. Jaden Smith’s charm in this film creates moments of lighthearted innocence that serve to keep this film from being a depressing freefall and allow you to smile in even some of the most dire of situations. There are scenes of absolute brilliance in this film played by both the seasoned actor and this relative newcomer that should bring comparisons to the classic film Paper Moon. These actors together create a type of movie magic that only comes along once in a very long time. This could be and in my opinion should be Will Smith’s ticket to get him the recognition of a Tom Hanks or a Tim Robbins and should at the very least earn him an Oscar nomination, if not the actual award itself. His performance in this film is strong enough to bring a grown man to his knees.

The Pursuit of Happyness is not the most original film of the year and without the help of its leading actors would have been almost as enjoyable as your typical TV movie of the week. The acting, character development, and chemistry of the characters in this film make it a film that you absolutely cannot miss.


Film Review Index