A deeply moving tale of a father and son and their struggles with poverty.
What is the Pursuit of Happyness? The movie asks this simple yet complex question to the viewer who is witnessing the world through the eyes of the main character. We all must’ve struggled with this question a lot in the past and still do, to an extent. Most of us probably are unaware of what we derive happiness out of. Is it flashy cars, a huge mansion, or a pile of cash sitting pretty in front of you? Or is it as simple as making damn sure the smile never fades from your or your loved one’s face?
In America, it is a constitutional right. Not achieving happiness, but the constant pursuit of it. This is the thought that inhabits the mind of Chris Gardner (Will Smith), the lead character of the movie when we find him at a telephone booth, on a call with his wife (Thandie Newton) after he spent an entire day running around 80’s San Francisco on his own two feet, from one doctor's office to the next, trying to make sale. He doesn’t have anything to his name when it comes to money, but he’s lucky he’s got a solid pair of shoes.
Synopsis:
Behind on several month's rent and living from paycheck to paycheck, life isn’t going great for Chris. He apparently “invested” all his money into an overpriced machine that no one will buy, because of which, he is sinking into debt. His wife works two dead-end jobs and is losing faith in her husband day by day. They also have a son named Christopher (Jaden Smith) who goes to a crummy daycare which can’t even spell Happiness correctly (roll credits).
One fortunate day, Chris runs into a stockbroker who rides a flashy car and wears a much better suit than he does.”They all looked so happy!”, Chris exclaimed as he saw the broker’s colleagues pouring out of a building called a brokerage firm. According to the man he just met “You just have to be good with people and good with numbers” to do what he does.
Just like that, the proverbial light bulb lit up in Chris’s mind at that moment. That becomes his motivation, his way of getting out of the slump, and doing better for himself and his family. He sets his mind on becoming a stockbroker. So, he signs up for an internship program at a big brokerage firm. The only (and major) caveat being, it’s unpaid and only one will be selected out of 20 interns as a full-time employee.
His wife, who was hanging around till now loses trust when he shares this new endeavor that he is gonna pursue. She wants stability for their family and Chris is headed in the opposite direction. She decides to leave him but, entrusts their 5-year-old son with him, upon Chris's request. Now the story becomes about this father-son duo’s battle against the world, for a better tomorrow.
How's the story?
The story is very simple but packs a BIG emotional punch, you can definitely find yourself tearing up during certain parts of the film.
It is a heartwrenching tale of a father and his son but, at the same time, you get the feeling that the pay off will be triumphant.
Despite everything both of them face, from rushing to find space in a homeless shelter, to being forced to spend the night inside a public washroom they somehow manage to push through with smiles and laughter. There is a scene where Chris plays a “pretend game” with his son just so that he can make light of a bleak situation, it’s his way of saying, ‘everything is alright’.
The grit on display here is nothing short of inspiring.
How are the performances?
Will Smith shines in this film as a single father to a 5-year-old kid hustling his butt off. His performance is genuine as the now millionaire Chris Gardner and he manages to create great empathy for his character with extreme ease. The film very evidently has the underdog factor going for it, but that is handled so well that I have no complaints to make in terms of it being a possible cliche.
Jaden Smith plays the adorable 5-year-old, Christopher. His performance as a child actor was also praiseworthy, serving as a big motivating factor in his dad’s life. Though the father-son duo of Will and Jaden Smith have done a number of films together, some good and some unspeakably bad (looking at you After Earth), this happens to be my personal favorite out of all of them.
The direction?
Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the focus is more so on the characters than the story itself. When you look at it on the surface level it seems like a rehash of the classic rags to riches trope. But the characters are what will endear you with this film. Gabriele will have you laughing, crying, and cheering for these characters, which is not an easy feat.
What about the background score?
I appreciate a good background score in any film and this film has the formula down for a wholesome, heartwarming score which was running in the back of my head when I listened to it.
It goes a long way in making you identify with these characters and yet again, the focus is on the characters!
Final Thoughts
Ever since it came out, The Pursuit of Happyness has made people believers (including myself) in honest hard work and dedication. If you have been looking for a feel-good movie to watch lately, this is it.
It is a story of struggle and success. Poverty and wealth and most importantly, sadness and Happiness. It breaks your heart, assembles it back, and then fills it up with stronger feelings of joy. It is available to stream on Prime right now, if you are looking for a film which will motivate you to no end, go ahead give this one a shot.
Check out my review of 'The Namesake' directed by Mira Nair, right here.
Trailer:
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