Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Rating: 8/10 (13 July 2009)

In the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happiness", Will Smith portrays Chris Gardner, a man pursuing a dream. Gardner is a salesman for a piece of medical equipment which is too expensive for what it is worth. After going months without any sales, his wife decides to start a better life, leaving him alone to raise their son, Christopher (Jaden Smith). After Gardner's wife leaves, he continues to try to sell the medical device. He then sees an opening to his future as a stock broker. The only problem is that, in order to be considered for the job, he must complete a highly competitive, six-month, unpaid internship. He does everything he can to prove to his boss, himself, and his son, that he can be a better man, even if this means living in hotels, homeless shelters, or even the bathroom of a subway station. While completing the internship, he continues to attempt to sell the equipment to make ends meet and pay for his son's day care. This tear-jerking, box-office hit of 2006 is a classic story of a family living in poverty working their way up the social ladder towards happiness, and doing whatever it takes to reach the top.
One of the main messages of "The Pursuit of Happiness" is 'never give up.' Chris Gardner goes from just barely having enough money to pay the rent to having nothing but the clothes on his back, and the love and faith of his son. Gardner was able to dodge anything and everything that life threw at him and became a top stock broker. This film is not as much about finding a job and making money as much as it is about being a good father, providing for his family, and ultimately being happy.
This film may not be the light-hearted story that the title may lead some to believe and this is apparent through the use of colors. The entire movie has a gray muted tone to help portray a grim feeling. Had the film used more bright colors, the viewers would not have received the same message.
"The Pursuit of Happiness" is a must see movie. It is different than the classic Will Smith role and he does a great job of playing a character with whom the audience can relate.