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Cast : Will Smith, Thandie Newton, Jaden Smith, Brian Howe, James Karen, Kurt Fuller, Dan Castanella

Director : Gabriele Muccino

Synopsis : Set in the early 1980s, it’s a heart-warming story about a father, Chris Gardner who is struggling as a salesman for a little needed medical bone density scanners. He makes a living by selling those scanners with target to meet and at times, he can’t even sell one single scanner in a month. His wife Linda toiled in a double shift at a laundry to make sure that there is enough food on the table and to support the family. What Chris’s get is not enough to pay debts buy food and pay for their rent? Linda is getting tired of the way things are going and he decided to back of from the marriage and get a divorced.

In the face of this difficult life, Chris has the desperate inspiration to try for a stockbroker internship where one in twenty has a chance of a lucrative full time career. Even when his wife leaves him because of this choice, Chris clings to this dream with his son even when the odds become more daunting by the day. Together, father and son struggle through homelessness, jail time, tax seizure and the overall punishing despair in a quest that would make Gardner a respected millionaire.

Aku kata

HAPPINESS is spelt with H.A.P.P.Y.N.E.S.S. in The Pursuit of Happyness. Happyness in the movie is not derived from the feeling happy. Happyness is the word spelt outside of Christopher’s day-care center that, in the story, Chris Gardner had been telling the teacher for an umpteenth of times.

The main reason why I like the movie is because it is based on a true story. How true was the story compared to the real life situation, well, I can’t answer that. Only Chris Gardner can answer that question.

But it is a compelling drama about a man’s struggle for a better future for him and his son. The most effective aspect of the movie that catches my attention is how a father-son relationship. How Chris loved his son and protects him from hardships.

This is something else from Will Smith. No Mr Funny like in Bad Boys or strutting his biceps and triceps. This is plainly acting and personally, I think he pulled it off admirably. With the little bit of gray hair and moustache, he carries the character very well. Will Smith is nominated in the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for this role. What about his chances of winning? I wouldn’t know just yet.

Kudos to Jaden, whom I think played along his father very well. Eventhough Will Smith said that Jaden has to undergo the same audition process as any other child, I can see it coming that they need someone with a chemistry with the main lead to be Christopher. And Jaden wasn’t disappointing at all. He's inherited his parents' good looks and has impeccable comic timing, enlivening the gloomier stretches of the story.

I am not familiar with the work of Gabriel Muccino. When I browse the Internet, I don’t think I’ve watched any of the movies that was directed previously by this Italian director.

Anyway, thanks to Kenny, my pirate DVD dealer who have given me the chance to watch this movie that is only set to release in March, I think.

Aku Kasi : **** / *****