Safe and amiable tale that does what it sets out to achieve.

Rating: 7/10 (4 March 2008)

Well well, after sitting down expecting a sickly sweet tale of hard luck I was surprised to find that I got exactly that, only the sugar here is replaced by a delicate substitute that succeeds with appetising results.
Yes there is nothing new here in the formula, the spiral of hard luck gnaws away at the heart strings as Chris Gardner and son hit poverty street and hope there is light at the end of the tunnel. It's a predictable journey, and yes it has the ending that was never really in doubt from the start, but the film is engaging to those who have that little triumph of the will spirit in their make up???, and to me it hits a nerve no matter how many times I have seen it in different guises. Will Smith is very good, very restrained and believable, and I say this only furthers my belief that he is one of the hottest talents around if he is directed by good hands. The rest of the cast flesh out the story with no great gusto or detriment, and the score is poor, but the film works for those seeking a bit of a heart tugger with the punch the air ending.
It's a tad overrated here in my opinion, but a very safe sweetly 7/10 for me .
Footnote: I don't know who it was who murdered Bridge Over Troubled Water in this, not only is it misplaced in view of the back story to the song, it also detracts from a good sequence in the film...............shoot the scorer