The Pursuit of Happyness

I saw The Pursuit of Happyness this weekend and I was so moved by it I was compelled to write about it in my blog. I don't want to spoil it too much for you, as I would insist everyone see this film! The story is based on the real life events of Chris Gardner and his son at a very difficult time in his life. He is a salesman who has spent his life savings on a piece of medical equipment, which is basically unnecessary so very difficult to sell. He is demonstrated to be a good mathematician by being able to solve a rubiks cube (very contemporary for the 1981 setting!) and so when he aspires to become a stock broker, we as the audience just know he'll be great at it, but he just needs to be given the chance. He applies for an internship at a prestigious company, but there are complications that go along with it that I don't want to ruin for you.

As you can imagine, there are many highs and lows throughout this film, however I must warn you, they're mostly lows (have a tissue handy!). The story itself is amazing - I'm not sure how close to the truth it is (I read that his son was actually only 18 months old at the time rather than 5) but even so, overcoming obstacles and all the odds is a compelling story to make you feel more fortunate in your circumstances. I doubt anyone could see this film and think they have it worse off than Chris had in 1981.

The acting sees Will Smith's usual great standard, and his son is also a delight to watch. I saw Will's interview on Film 2007 with Jonathan Ross about the fact that Jaden really wanted the role; he and Jada didn't force him into it at all, or even believe that he would get the part until he was amongst the last few candidates. I think the casting director did the right thing. The fact that they are real-life father and son makes the story even more convincing and you can see the devotion he has for his son.

If you've seen it, please let me know your thoughts. If you would like to know more about Chris and what he did after the point the film finishes, visit his official website here.