The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006

Will Smith’s leading role in The Pursuit of Happyness was inspired by a true story, and Chris Gardner’s (Smith’s) dealings in the movie represented the real life issues impactfully. As Chris’s life degrades from hard-working and underachieving bone-density scanner salesman to a man separated from his wife and supporting both his goal of becoming a stockbroker and his need to care for his young son (Jaden Smith), the viewer sees for themselves the challenges faced by people like Chris. Gabriele Muccino directed. Culture of San Francisco, in particular that of the 1980’s, was highlighted on several occasions in the film and served to give the film the character of the city. While not significant to the plot, Chris and his son’s trip to a 49ers game (the 49ers experienced their heyday in the 80’s) both immersed the viewer in one of the brighter sides of city life and taught Chris both the lengths he would have to go to in order to get what he needed for his internship to become a paid position and taught him about the lives of the company executives who he was detached from by his social status. Conversely, Chris spent time living in a homeless shelter, which was not always available to him, and he even spent a night in a subway bathroom all the while caring for his son and paying for his daycare. Other details of authenticity such as the fact that the film was filmed entirely on location, used entirely San Franciscans for extras, and featured Smith’s real life son as Smith’s son in the movie were noticeable in the film’s familiarity. To be able to effectively live each of these moments in the film, Smith needed to display a range of emotions: sentimentality, humbleness, humor, inspiration, and disappointment, to name a few. Smith interacted with everyone from mentally unsound street hippies to the partners at the brokerage firm, to his family. Pivotal points in the film were numerous and each time Mr. Smith put on his serious face, but not every time did I find his messages believable. For example, when Chris was talking to his son about his future in basketball, Smith went from jokingly putting down his son’s ability to talking to his son with such attempted sincerity that Jaden Smith looked ready to cry. Despite the moments I felt were awkward, by the climax, which saw Chris getting the position he had worked so hard for, I was convinced in the feeling that was displayed on screen. The film’s first-person point of view, with the entire film being shot from Chris Gardner’s point of view, limited the number of well-developed characters to just Chris. Chris begins the movie content to sell his scanners and just get by, while he realizes the struggle he and his family are going through. He is aware of his talents but is not compelled to apply them. Once he gets a glimpse of what his life could be like, he gains the motivation to try his hardest to get there for himself and his son. Hardened by the challenges he faces, Chris becomes able to outperform everyone around him through far less propitious conditions and he is shown to have continued his excellence after the excerpt of his life shown in the film is behind him. The film’s representation of this character arc made the film a down-to-earth and relatable and inspirational experience. Smith is known for his comedic and action roles, but he also shows and ability to display a great range of emotion in The Pursuit of Happyness. The unique film topic and good acting made the film enjoyable.

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