"The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006) - Movie Review

The weight of Chris Gardener (Will Smith) is felt by us even from the first frame when he carries the Bone Density Scanners and leaves his kid, Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) in a day care. He is pushing everything he has in a matchbox apartment in San Francisco. He runs his breath out, catches every possible closing bus, jumps on every possible train shuttle and crosses every busy path in the downtown area of San Francisco. As well he pulls the limit in these physical extremities of daily activities, his emotional tolerance is tested throughout and rarely does he confide with every one. This is an inspiration from the true story of Chris Gardener who made a life for himself out of nothing with real aspiration and determination in the early 80s.

Hopeful movies with a predictable sweet ending has been known to us and been given in platter for all these times. But making a debut in English movies, director Gabriele Muccino does a character study since the pay off is known. It is not about getting the job or even finding a financial stabilization, it is about something every one are built upon, hope and relationship. And mainly to cling on to one’s life which might contain as Chris’s in many daily aspects lets him down in every possible ways. As he runs, we exhaust, when he cashes out, we are thinking what is next, when he cries, we do not know what to do which is what exactly Chris has in his mind. This in any way does not weigh it down into an over melodramatic sequence or does it constantly bombards us with failures hitting on Chris. More than the failure, we are taken away by his fighting spirit. He wipes off the tears and sweat to keep on moving with his son. Will Smith has created a passion for creating this role and it cannot be portrayed well than him.

How Muccino placed his camera among the busy streets but to notice only Chris? How even though Chris always among walking people on the sidewalk holds the extra focus apart from the camera to glow up or look up? That works in so many ways to bring on the widen approachability and light the character has. The place he visits becomes a place to be used upon for us. The familiarity with the surroundings among the audience is something very rarely to be achieved upon in a character studying movies. We feel the down town of San Francisco in every inch of its transportation, sweet and powerful scents of the women and men passing along. More than the time period of 80s, it is the location which gives the feel the film and the real Chris would have wanted.

I as many had the notion that the film is the usual hopeful ending giving a redundant picture I have seen pretty well in various many movies. And as a screen writer or some one taking up would have thought about it, but it is a success story which has the points in the toughness the man went through. Though the final prize is the ultimate relaxing moment, the path towards it should not be a strain and a chain of downing events to make us boring at the end of it rather it is a deeper look into this real life person.

Films like “The Pursuit of Happyness” carry the logo of formulaic films but unlike any of those, this is the best films in those cadres. The care which has been taken so much in following this character is such a flawless portrayal that it never falters even on minute occasion which would have been a give away Hollywood moment. For this commitment, the director and mainly Will Smith deserve the appreciation much more than they anticipate.

To make the movie work, there are these small and large characters to assist the state of mind of Chris or at least the mind he wants them to think are his son Christopher, Jay Twistle (Brian Howe), Martin Frohm (James Karen) and the Bone Density Scanners. Their performance and placement is as much as it is needed pitch perfect for Smith to make Chris work the way it needed to be.

It is the film which promises the hope and does not give it away easily. Films like this needs to work really hard to make the audience realize what the prize in the end means it to be. It is been given easily in dozens of sports inspiring films, umpteen romantic comedies and some seriously approaching movies with hope as its subtleness. “The Pursuit of Happyness” makes us work for the known hope which has been promised in the title and it is well deserved.