Exceptionally painful to watch but Will Smith's performance is very, very nice.

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2012)

"The Pursuit of Happiness" is one of the more painful to watch films I have ever seen. Now I am NOT saying it's a bad film--but it's very hard watching the main character, as his life is an absolute mess and you really want to see him succeed in spite of a horrible series of downturns.
The film begins with Chris (Will Smith) playing a struggling father and husband. His salesman job is not working out at all--and that's a problem, as without sales he cannot get paid. At the same time, his wife is clearly not happy--and hates to have a failure for a husband--and she sees him as a failure. Beyond this, time and time again, he has many, many setbacks in life until eventually his wife leaves. Now, without a salary, he's trying to somehow work something out so he can keep his son, Christopher (Jaden Smith--Will's real life son). But, before things can get better, things get a lot worse...and it truly is painful to watch as he scrambles to somehow make it.
Whether or not you enjoy this film really depends on if you can stick with it. Considering how painful it becomes and how much you like the guy, it's a real chore to stick with it. No matter how many times bad things happen to Chris, it just keeps coming! But, on the other hand, the film is worth it if you stick with it. Will Smith's acting is just terrific--I was amazed how much he could convey with just his eyes. I can understand why he was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for this film. And, since it's based on a real story about real people, it does (FORTUNATELY) end well and is a very satisfying film overall.