Well made film, hated it

Rating: 2/10 (29 January 2007)

Am I the only person who saw this film and hated it? The main problem for me was that Will Smith's character irritated me to death. All his problems seemed to me to be of his own making. We see him buying up his stock of scanners before his child is born. This means he has at least 5 years to realise that he isn't making enough money to survive and to get a proper job.
What's admirable about a guy who is still running round trying to sell a product he knows is unpopular (and probably out of date by this stage) when he knows he is not paying his rent, not paying his child care, running a car he doesn't need (why not take the bus?) and ducking out of all his responsibilities? His wife is working two jobs and is exhausted and he is still constantly leaving her to pick up the pieces while he runs around town chasing sales. He's supposed to be intelligent but he doesn't even appear to have a rudimentary grasp of how to manage his finances. Why can't he get another job? Why not work two jobs? Somehow we're supposed to feel sorry for him. All I felt was intense irritation and an overwhelming urge to tell him to pull himself together.
This film seems to be pushing the message that if you have a dream and go for it you will succeed. All I can say is, it's a pity he didn't try a bit harder before he got into this mess.
Unbelievable.