"Pursuit of Happyness"

[BamF]

I just saw it today.It's definetly Will's best performance yet :2thumbs:

[Jazzy Julie]

saw an advert on UK TV today (between fpoba lol), they are starting early, its like 3 weeks to go until its out. Good to see one of Wills things actually being promoted for a change.

[MaxFly]

Here is the best review of the movie I've read so far...

http://www.geocities.com/gamut_mag/happyness.htm

The advertising for The Pursuit of Happyness leads you to believe that you’ll be seeing a generic Hollywood feel-good movie. You’ve got a major star (Will Smith) and a cute little boy going through lots of hardships on the way to what is clearly a life-affirming ending. Movies like that can be entertaining, but they also often feel spoon-fed and, when you get right down to it, out of touch with real life. So it came as a very pleasant surprise to discover that The Pursuit of Happyness avoids these pitfalls and takes an honest, intense look at the kind of day-to-day survival that too many Americans must contend with.

Set in 1981 and based on a true story, the film stars Smith as Chris Gardner, a down-on-his luck husband and father. Chris’s big money-making plan – selling high-density bone scanning equipment to doctors – has not paid off, leaving him stuck with a room full of expensive machines that he can’t unload. His wife Linda (Thandie Newton) resents the fact that she works double shifts to compensate for his inability to sell. Eventually she leaves him and there is a brief conflict over who will take care of 5 year-old Christopher (played by Smith’s real son Jaden, who’s clearly a chip off the old charisma block).

Chris wins that dispute and suddenly finds himself a single father with no real income. A chance encounter on the street leads him to discover that the Dean Witter brokerage firm is accepting applications for a six-month internship. Having always been good with numbers, Chris decides to apply. However, there are risks: the internship is unpaid, and only one applicant out of twenty will be chosen for a job. In other words, it’s the longest of long shots, but one that could potentially turn their financial situation around.

He submits an application, is accepted despite an unpromising interview, and begins trying to outwork all the other applicants, none of whom are dealing with the outside problems he is. Chris also peddles the machines on the side. The demands of this situation are almost unbearable. Aside from having to study for a final exam, Chris has to cold call clients, sell services, get Christopher to and from day care, locate doctors potentially willing to buy a machine, and find a way to pay rent. When money is low, he and the boy move out of their apartment and into a motel; when it runs out, they race to a shelter every afternoon trying to get a room. They even camp out in a subway bathroom for a night. The obstacles seem endless, yet Chris isn’t a complainer and he doesn’t engage in self-pity. Instead, he resolves to work faster and harder than everyone else. Of course, he doesn’t really have a lot of time to feel sorry for himself because getting by requires constant effort.

The Pursuit of Happyness provides one of the best, most effective portrayals of daily survival that I have ever seen. Director Gabriele Muccino and writer Steve Conrad avoid easy sentimentality. The film never gives you (or the characters) a false sense that everything will be okay. It takes an honest look at the struggles and dangers that people face when they don’t have stable housing or a steady income. Watching the movie is like riding a roller coaster of emotion. Every time you think Chris finally has a foothold, something comes along to set him back. The filmmakers don’t flinch from the cold hard reality of the situation.

There is an interesting (and emotional) recurring bit involving Chris losing a couple of those machines. We clearly see that this causes financial calamity; each one lost represents $250 that he won’t have. Later, when he sees one at a distance and chases the person carrying it, we understand completely why he would go to such trouble. The Pursuit of Happyness reminds us that being destitute brings with it a certain kind of desperation. You’re always scraping by, and even little obstacles can create big problems. Major obstacles can be downright catastrophic. I like the way the movie conveys that feeling to us. Lots of films are made about people surviving extreme situations such as natural disasters. Here’s one about a man and a boy trying to survive daily life in America.

Will Smith is obviously a major star and a big box office draw, but he’s also a fine actor. For me, The Pursuit of Happyness represents his best work to date. Smith never overplays the character, never fills him with false nobility. He completely grounds Chris Gardner in reality, showing us that he’s a man who knows self-pity ultimately leads nowhere. This, as much as his love for Christopher, is what keeps him going. Chris knows that perseverance is the only thing that will make life better, and if that means working twice as hard as the other candidates at Dean Witter, then so be it. As this is a true story that has been heavily promoted in the media, it gives nothing away to say that the real Chris Gardner eventually started his own very successful firm. There is a moment at the end, where Smith has to convey Chris’s pride and relief at the same time. A moment such as this would be easy to overplay; the potential for grandstanding or scenery-chewing is high. Yet Smith hits the exact right note, saying everything there is to say with his eyes. Try not to get choked up – you won’t be able to. I hope he gets an Oscar nomination for this brilliant, three-dimensional performance.

Perhaps the best way to sum up The Pursuit of Happyness is to say that it earns its response. I did walk about of the theater with a life-affirming feeling, but it wasn’t because the movie manufactured one. I felt that way because this story was told with honesty and integrity. There are no easy answers or solutions here – just the idea that if you refuse to give up on life, life will refuse to give up on you. This is absolutely one of my favorite movies of the year.

[Guest Guest_rauldiaz2007_*]

Here is the best review of the movie I've read so far...

http://www.geocities.com/gamut_mag/happyness.htm

The advertising for The Pursuit of Happyness leads you to believe that you’ll be seeing a generic Hollywood feel-good movie. You’ve got a major star (Will Smith) and a cute little boy going through lots of hardships on the way to what is clearly a life-affirming ending. Movies like that can be entertaining, but they also often feel spoon-fed and, when you get right down to it, out of touch with real life. So it came as a very pleasant surprise to discover that The Pursuit of Happyness avoids these pitfalls and takes an honest, intense look at the kind of day-to-day survival that too many Americans must contend with.

Set in 1981 and based on a true story, the film stars Smith as Chris Gardner, a down-on-his luck husband and father. Chris’s big money-making plan – selling high-density bone scanning equipment to doctors – has not paid off, leaving him stuck with a room full of expensive machines that he can’t unload. His wife Linda (Thandie Newton) resents the fact that she works double shifts to compensate for his inability to sell. Eventually she leaves him and there is a brief conflict over who will take care of 5 year-old Christopher (played by Smith’s real son Jaden, who’s clearly a chip off the old charisma block).

Chris wins that dispute and suddenly finds himself a single father with no real income. A chance encounter on the street leads him to discover that the Dean Witter brokerage firm is accepting applications for a six-month internship. Having always been good with numbers, Chris decides to apply. However, there are risks: the internship is unpaid, and only one applicant out of twenty will be chosen for a job. In other words, it’s the longest of long shots, but one that could potentially turn their financial situation around.

He submits an application, is accepted despite an unpromising interview, and begins trying to outwork all the other applicants, none of whom are dealing with the outside problems he is. Chris also peddles the machines on the side. The demands of this situation are almost unbearable. Aside from having to study for a final exam, Chris has to cold call clients, sell services, get Christopher to and from day care, locate doctors potentially willing to buy a machine, and find a way to pay rent. When money is low, he and the boy move out of their apartment and into a motel; when it runs out, they race to a shelter every afternoon trying to get a room. They even camp out in a subway bathroom for a night. The obstacles seem endless, yet Chris isn’t a complainer and he doesn’t engage in self-pity. Instead, he resolves to work faster and harder than everyone else. Of course, he doesn’t really have a lot of time to feel sorry for himself because getting by requires constant effort.

The Pursuit of Happyness provides one of the best, most effective portrayals of daily survival that I have ever seen. Director Gabriele Muccino and writer Steve Conrad avoid easy sentimentality. The film never gives you (or the characters) a false sense that everything will be okay. It takes an honest look at the struggles and dangers that people face when they don’t have stable housing or a steady income. Watching the movie is like riding a roller coaster of emotion. Every time you think Chris finally has a foothold, something comes along to set him back. The filmmakers don’t flinch from the cold hard reality of the situation.

There is an interesting (and emotional) recurring bit involving Chris losing a couple of those machines. We clearly see that this causes financial calamity; each one lost represents $250 that he won’t have. Later, when he sees one at a distance and chases the person carrying it, we understand completely why he would go to such trouble. The Pursuit of Happyness reminds us that being destitute brings with it a certain kind of desperation. You’re always scraping by, and even little obstacles can create big problems. Major obstacles can be downright catastrophic. I like the way the movie conveys that feeling to us. Lots of films are made about people surviving extreme situations such as natural disasters. Here’s one about a man and a boy trying to survive daily life in America.

Will Smith is obviously a major star and a big box office draw, but he’s also a fine actor. For me, The Pursuit of Happyness represents his best work to date. Smith never overplays the character, never fills him with false nobility. He completely grounds Chris Gardner in reality, showing us that he’s a man who knows self-pity ultimately leads nowhere. This, as much as his love for Christopher, is what keeps him going. Chris knows that perseverance is the only thing that will make life better, and if that means working twice as hard as the other candidates at Dean Witter, then so be it. As this is a true story that has been heavily promoted in the media, it gives nothing away to say that the real Chris Gardner eventually started his own very successful firm. There is a moment at the end, where Smith has to convey Chris’s pride and relief at the same time. A moment such as this would be easy to overplay; the potential for grandstanding or scenery-chewing is high. Yet Smith hits the exact right note, saying everything there is to say with his eyes. Try not to get choked up – you won’t be able to. I hope he gets an Oscar nomination for this brilliant, three-dimensional performance.

Perhaps the best way to sum up The Pursuit of Happyness is to say that it earns its response. I did walk about of the theater with a life-affirming feeling, but it wasn’t because the movie manufactured one. I felt that way because this story was told with honesty and integrity. There are no easy answers or solutions here – just the idea that if you refuse to give up on life, life will refuse to give up on you. This is absolutely one of my favorite movies of the year.

Gardner shows his goodwill and determination by helping the needed people of South Africa. According to his Biography. I quote:

"Which is why, on this October day, Gardner keeps working those phones. It's why he's already begun writing his next book. It's why he's in talks with several networks about doing a primetime show, and why, earlier this year, he sold a minority stake in Gardner Rich to a major hedge fund. But most of all, it's why he's about to close a second round of financing -- reportedly to launch a private-equity fund focused solely on investments in South Africa."

Source: Biography http://www.mastermindtrader.com/Christopher_Gardner.html

[Guest Guest_rauldiaz2007_*]

Here is the best review of the movie I've read so far...

http://www.geocities.com/gamut_mag/happyness.htm

The advertising for The Pursuit of Happyness leads you to believe that you’ll be seeing a generic Hollywood feel-good movie. You’ve got a major star (Will Smith) and a cute little boy going through lots of hardships on the way to what is clearly a life-affirming ending. Movies like that can be entertaining, but they also often feel spoon-fed and, when you get right down to it, out of touch with real life. So it came as a very pleasant surprise to discover that The Pursuit of Happyness avoids these pitfalls and takes an honest, intense look at the kind of day-to-day survival that too many Americans must contend with.

Set in 1981 and based on a true story, the film stars Smith as Chris Gardner, a down-on-his luck husband and father. Chris’s big money-making plan – selling high-density bone scanning equipment to doctors – has not paid off, leaving him stuck with a room full of expensive machines that he can’t unload. His wife Linda (Thandie Newton) resents the fact that she works double shifts to compensate for his inability to sell. Eventually she leaves him and there is a brief conflict over who will take care of 5 year-old Christopher (played by Smith’s real son Jaden, who’s clearly a chip off the old charisma block).

Chris wins that dispute and suddenly finds himself a single father with no real income. A chance encounter on the street leads him to discover that the Dean Witter brokerage firm is accepting applications for a six-month internship. Having always been good with numbers, Chris decides to apply. However, there are risks: the internship is unpaid, and only one applicant out of twenty will be chosen for a job. In other words, it’s the longest of long shots, but one that could potentially turn their financial situation around.

He submits an application, is accepted despite an unpromising interview, and begins trying to outwork all the other applicants, none of whom are dealing with the outside problems he is. Chris also peddles the machines on the side. The demands of this situation are almost unbearable. Aside from having to study for a final exam, Chris has to cold call clients, sell services, get Christopher to and from day care, locate doctors potentially willing to buy a machine, and find a way to pay rent. When money is low, he and the boy move out of their apartment and into a motel; when it runs out, they race to a shelter every afternoon trying to get a room. They even camp out in a subway bathroom for a night. The obstacles seem endless, yet Chris isn’t a complainer and he doesn’t engage in self-pity. Instead, he resolves to work faster and harder than everyone else. Of course, he doesn’t really have a lot of time to feel sorry for himself because getting by requires constant effort.

The Pursuit of Happyness provides one of the best, most effective portrayals of daily survival that I have ever seen. Director Gabriele Muccino and writer Steve Conrad avoid easy sentimentality. The film never gives you (or the characters) a false sense that everything will be okay. It takes an honest look at the struggles and dangers that people face when they don’t have stable housing or a steady income. Watching the movie is like riding a roller coaster of emotion. Every time you think Chris finally has a foothold, something comes along to set him back. The filmmakers don’t flinch from the cold hard reality of the situation.

There is an interesting (and emotional) recurring bit involving Chris losing a couple of those machines. We clearly see that this causes financial calamity; each one lost represents $250 that he won’t have. Later, when he sees one at a distance and chases the person carrying it, we understand completely why he would go to such trouble. The Pursuit of Happyness reminds us that being destitute brings with it a certain kind of desperation. You’re always scraping by, and even little obstacles can create big problems. Major obstacles can be downright catastrophic. I like the way the movie conveys that feeling to us. Lots of films are made about people surviving extreme situations such as natural disasters. Here’s one about a man and a boy trying to survive daily life in America.

Will Smith is obviously a major star and a big box office draw, but he’s also a fine actor. For me, The Pursuit of Happyness represents his best work to date. Smith never overplays the character, never fills him with false nobility. He completely grounds Chris Gardner in reality, showing us that he’s a man who knows self-pity ultimately leads nowhere. This, as much as his love for Christopher, is what keeps him going. Chris knows that perseverance is the only thing that will make life better, and if that means working twice as hard as the other candidates at Dean Witter, then so be it. As this is a true story that has been heavily promoted in the media, it gives nothing away to say that the real Chris Gardner eventually started his own very successful firm. There is a moment at the end, where Smith has to convey Chris’s pride and relief at the same time. A moment such as this would be easy to overplay; the potential for grandstanding or scenery-chewing is high. Yet Smith hits the exact right note, saying everything there is to say with his eyes. Try not to get choked up – you won’t be able to. I hope he gets an Oscar nomination for this brilliant, three-dimensional performance.

Perhaps the best way to sum up The Pursuit of Happyness is to say that it earns its response. I did walk about of the theater with a life-affirming feeling, but it wasn’t because the movie manufactured one. I felt that way because this story was told with honesty and integrity. There are no easy answers or solutions here – just the idea that if you refuse to give up on life, life will refuse to give up on you. This is absolutely one of my favorite movies of the year.

Gardner shows his goodwill and determination by helping the needed people of South Africa. According to his Biography. I quote:

"Which is why, on this October day, Gardner keeps working those phones. It's why he's already begun writing his next book. It's why he's in talks with several networks about doing a primetime show, and why, earlier this year, he sold a minority stake in Gardner Rich to a major hedge fund. But most of all, it's why he's about to close a second round of financing -- reportedly to launch a private-equity fund focused solely on investments in South Africa."

Source: Biography http://www.mastermindtrader.com/Christopher_Gardner.html

[VIsqo]

I want it to get to santo domingo already so that i can see it.

[viber_91]

Man! They have pushed the relese date here in Sweden again!

Now I'll have to wait untill the 23/2... Ant then it's only 11 days untill the DVD comes out in the US!

[felics]

You may know this is based on the story of Chris Gardner...who goes

from being ok to very very poor to bottom out, but never gives up,

keeps a positive attitude and who finally succeeds. It is a very

stressful film if you have had humble beginnings. What I really liked

is it is based on what appears to be a great American story indeed.

The toughness of life at the bottom and a man’s passion to better ones

self is told well. My kid liked it, wife liked it ,Thumbs up here too.

For more on the real story of Chris Gardner see link below.

http://www.mastermindtrader.com/Christopher_Gardner.html

Edited January 15, 2007 by felics

[Lerkot]

I didnt see any review thread so I decided to make one, even though its probably a little late. Anyway, the movie has its premiere today and the Swedish papers has reviewed it.

Aftonbladet: 4/5

"It was a long time ago Will Smith was the Fresh Prince. With age he has grown up and in the apparent Oscar flirt "the Pursuit of Happyness" - which is based on a true story - he gets to use his most serious register".

"The Pursuit of Happyness" wants a lot. And in its strife to touch your feelings it has got something little, little creamy in it. But the powerful thing is that you buy it. Because this is the ultimate story about the American dream. And it goes straight into the heart. Maybe because its a little, little creamy".

Expressen 2/5

"The Pursuit of Happyness", which is based on a real story starting in 1981, is tear draping, creamy and ingratiating. The dirty things never get really dirty. Life is fine after all. Even when you live it on the shadow side. Money is also nice. Especially if you got much. And you want much."

"Left on the streets wandering around, the other homeless people who he no longer has to fight against for a bed. It is a part of the capitalism. Gardner counts his money and doesnt seem to care about the people on the street any longer. Will Smith? Oh yes. He got his charm, humour and a soul that feels real, in a movie that doesnt."

Dagens Nyheter 3/5

"This should be an easy movie to understand. A daddy alone with his son meets big troubles and much poorness, never stops dreaming and finally reaches the top. A feelgood-tribute to the American dream. But this creamy big studio production manages to tell us more about poorness than many socially concious (spelling?) stories."

"The Italian director Gabriel Muccino has told the producers that only an European could truly understand the American dream. He may be right. This movie focuses on the dreaming and the fight, not the happiness itself. "

"The more he fights, the lower he gets. Because in the USA there are no margins. The lack of dollars and sometimes cents makes him fall on the the last step over and over again, and he needs to start over on a lower point. It does not feel good. It is painful to see, actually. The writer and the director uses all the sides of the poorness with dramaturgical brillians, while Will Smith's moderate acting and soft movements makes the energies and the sentimentaly rate high until the excitement almost gets unbearable."

"The victory, the success, is reduced to a minimum. It is just the start of a relief. Before it has really sunk in that the hell is over. It is a strange, anachronic 30's movie put into Reagans eighties, with roots in a poor European past. Probably a little too real for the Americans and a little too capitalistic for the Europeans, but the energy it creates is impressiv."

Svenska Dagbladet 3/5

"When the end credits starts you have a tiny feeling that you have been exposed to some kind of propaganda. But sure, this is a real crier and you is drawn with it. Will Smith is good, and Chris junior is played by his own son. The nice chemistry between them infects the whole movie (in a good way)."