The Pursuit Of Happyness [2006]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
A heartwarming film that demonstrates how good, hard-working people can become homeless almost overnight, Pursuit of Happyness is a tour-de-force showcase for Will Smith, who convincingly portrays a down-and-out dad trying to better his family's life. Smith, who usually is cast in effortlessly boyish roles (Men in Black, Independence Day), is wonderful in the film--even in the scenes that shamelessly tug at viewers' heartstrings. Based on the true-life story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman forced at times to shelter his young son (played by Smith's adorable look-alike offspring Jaden Smith) in a men's room, there is little suspense to the film in terms of Chris' outcome. (His story and eventual success a successful and wealthy Chicago businessman was well-publicized on the newsmagazine show 20/20.) And let's face it, Hollywood's not too keen on making feel-good movies with unhappy endings.

The beauty (and suspense, to a certain extent) of this film is in the way the story is told. Though he is constantly rushing around to get to appointments and pick up his child, things do not happen quickly for Chris. When he accepts an internship with a prestigious stock brokerage firm, there's a catch: The position is unpaid, suitable more for trust-fund children than single parents with no other source of income. In many scenes, the viewer panics along with Chris, wondering how he's going to feed his child. While Smith and his son, Jaden, share many tender moments together, Thandie Newton has the thankless role of playing Chris' shrill wife, who deserts her family early in the film. It's not a particularly challenging part for the talented actress, and her departure doesn't impact the storyline much at all. As for the movie's misspelled title, it's inspired from a scene in the film. (Seeing a mural drawn by the children at a daycare center, Chris points out to the proprietor that "happiness" is spelled incorrectly. She notes that it doesn't matter how the word is written--just that the kids have it.) With Pursuit of Happyness, Smith has come out of his safety zone and, in turn, ends up playing his most heroic role to date. --Jae-Ha Kim

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Customer reviews

review by: spoolmac date: 2008-05-23 rating:
wealth = happiness
2 good performances, but what a sad message. I presumed that the film was a typical, liberal bashing of the "greed is good" ethos of the '80s...but it ends up celebrating it!

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review by: dc studios date: 2008-05-07 rating:
A MUST SEE FILM!!
The pursuit of happyness is an amazing film.It is so gripping your always saying to your self where are they going to live.at one point i was crying.i think the hole world should see it!.

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review by: date: 2008-04-28 rating:
Pursuit of Happyness
Amazing film. Will Smith is one of the finest actor's around of the modern film scene. Hugely underated, and too often put into the category of comic and boyish roles. When he turns the serious roles on, such as the subway scene in this film, he is truly remarkable. A must see film for fans of Will and for any film lovers.

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review by: date: 2008-04-18 rating:
Slow and padded
It may have been based on a true story but considerable more substance was needed to fill the time. If I had not been drinking large quantities of red wine I would have turned it off!


review by: date: 2008-03-02 rating:
Beautiful film--right message?
This was a beautiful movie, and as a new father, it really pushed all of my buttons. Will Smith's characte, Chris Gardner, shows just how far a man can go to provide for his child. It made me realize how easy my life has been, and made me wonder if I could have responded to his circumstances as heroically as he did.

My only concern here is not with the film itself, but with the story itself. What was it that inspired the protagonist's efforts? Seeing a man with a Ferrari. Though we can understand his desperation to keep a roof over his son's head, why do we sympathize with his choice of careers? He longs for a flash car and mansion on the hill, and risks everything to achieve that, when it would have been much easier to get his university degree and become a math professor, accountant, or something else. Is becoming a rich stock broker really the American dream? Not for me.

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