Mediocre weepie lifted by a great performance

Rating: 7/10 (8 February 2007)

Will Smith finally proves that he is capable of carrying a movie with his acting instead of his bravado. While the film itself holds little surprise, Smith is truly a revelation.
This is the kind of movie you usually don't really need to see if you've seen the trailer, as it does exactly what it says on the tin and little else. Smith's character, Chris Gardner, is a destitute man working his ass off trying to get a job as a stock broker by doing an unpaid internship, while trying to look after his five year old son. The story is little more than a rewrite of the same old themes of love, persistence, determination and faith in the American dream (the pursuit of happiness). There are times when the film becomes contrived, as problem after predictable problem is dropped is Gardner's lap.
In spite of these somewhat obvious flaws, the film succeeds due to a consistently engaging and sometimes deeply moving performance from Will Smith, who inhabits his character completely. There are none of the token Willyisms here either, which was a brave move for all concerned, a move that paid off very well. It's nice to see Smith get his second Oscar nomination, as he fully deserves it for lifting this otherwise mediocre weepie to near greatness.