so-so

Rating: 6/10 (18 April 2007)

I got to see this on the plane for free, and it was a fine alternative to sudoku for a couple hours. The plot is entirely predictable, which I think is forgivable in a triumph of will story, but all the little steps along the way were also quite cliché, which did seem a bit lazy on the part of the screenwriters. I know that this was based on a true story, and it is always interesting to see how much creative license is taken. I actually think that the movie made Chris Gardner's journey look much easier than it probably was. For example, IMDb says that his son was actually only 18 months old, which adds diapers to the situation. And with the exception of the scene where they spend the night locked in a subway bathroom, Will Smith keeps himself a bit more cool and collected than you'd expect from even an extraordinary character like Gardner. Overall, an OK movie, but not as astounding as you'd hope for such an interesting true-life story.