Luke
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CibbuanoThe Pursuit of Happyness
February 7th 2007 10:10
‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is the amazing true story of Chris Gardner, a down-on-his-luck everyman who fought for a little slice of the American dream. What’s most amazing about this film is that it manages to present us with an old school, pulls-the-heartstrings, rags-to-riches story without resorting to saccharine schmaltz, clichéd direction or finger-wagging moralising.
Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a determined father-of-one who sells bone-density machines that no one really wants to buy. He is smart (probably more than he knows) and has an easy-going and affable manner, but the world seems to keep wanting to get him down. This is Reagan’s 80s… a time of poverty and broken dreams, the empty lull before the ‘greed is good’ era, and the years when it was hardest for a guy to make a few bucks on his own. Things seem to go from bad to worse for Gardner… his wife shows little support and cannot handle the tough times. He is determined that his son will always know his father (unlike himself) and he vows to never leave him. Eventually these circumstances land him and his son on their own, without any money.
The American dream of happiness and success has never seemed so far away for a protagonist. Chris never quits and almost always keeps a sense of humour about him despite being frustrating unlucky in the face of adversity. Over and over, circumstances work against him and he struggles to make a living. It’s amazing that the film isn’t all that depressing… it remains a realistic and accurate 80s period piece that doesn’t resort to parody, exaggeration or hokey nostalgia. Even when Chris is at rock bottom and the world keeps kicking him – and you feel for him, you really do – he remains an absolute winner. Chris’s attitude and never-say-die attitude is what makes him a winner.
Will Smith was definitely deserving of his Oscar nomination for this role. It’s a wonderful, mature and well-judged performance… he doesn’t resort to the melodramatic, over-the-top grandstanding that lesser (or even some more critically acclaimed) actors might have done. This is the absolute definition of a solid performance, it’s built to serve the film and it’s tone, and it’s a completely endearing and human performance.
A generous and un-pandering film about hopes and dreams that doesn't underestimate it's audience.
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