À Procura da Felicidade

In this journey through the struggles and trials that single father, Chris Gardner, has to take, you see the real side of hardwork and integrity. Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, Is just trying to give his son a good home as he's on the pursuit of happiness. This movie doesn't only show the hard work of a single parent, but it shows that no matter how hard you get pushed down, you should always get up and keep going. I love the strong connection that the father and son roles have in this movie, it seems so real, and that's because it is! The father (Will smith) and son (Jaden Smith) are father and son outside the movie realm too. Actor, Will Smith, shows his true emotional side during this film, as if he was actually going through the situations occurring in the movie. There couldn't have been a better cast picked for this movie, the pain, struggle, love, and hope seem so real as if you're watching a documentary on someone's life. Smith, usually looked at as a comedic actor, shows what he can really do by jerking the tears from the audience's eyes.

I was involved with one of the first test audiences almost a year ago, and came away quite impressed with the acting performances and heartfelt punch of Pursuit of Happiness. This is easily one of Smith's best films, as he pours his heart and soul into the main character. While the plot may remain a bit transparent, it leaves you asking the question of yourself - how long would you keep battling to get what you really want out of life? I plan on seeing the film again when it releases to the general public, and am very interested to see what changes were made after running it through the test screenings. As I saw it then, it needed very few, if any, changes.

If you ever wanted to see a movie that portrayed what really makes a man, then you must see this movie.

Forget Stalone. Forget Arnold. Forget Bond. Forget all those romantic comedy whimps. Bruce Willis never had to make this many life threatening decisions in Die Hard.

Will Smith gives a better performance of toughness here than he did portraying Muhammed Ali.

This movie is raw. This movie will force you to examine your manhood. See if you can look in the mirror after watching this film.

Fathers, don't let the PG-13 rating fool you. This movie is not for kids. If you let your child see this movie you may regret it. Your child may never be able to look at you the same way again. Your child will wonder why you are not more like Chris Gardner.

In 1981, in San Francisco, the smart salesman and family man Chris Gardner (Will Smith) invested the family savings in Ostelo National bone-density scanners, an apparatus twice more expensive than x-ray with practically the same resolution. The white elephant financially breaks the family, bringing troubles to the relationship with his wife that leaves him and moves to New York. Without money and wife, but totally committed with his son Christopher (Jaden Smith), Chris sees the chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, disputing for one career in the end of six months training period without any salary with other twenty candidates. Meanwhile, homeless, he has all sorts of difficulties with his son.

"The Pursuit of Happiness" is a touching story of perseverance, commitment and objective in life, and one of the most beautiful and enlightened biographies I have ever see in a movie. The survival capability of Chris Gardner and his love for his son are fantastic examples in a world where we just read and see disgraces in the newspapers and in the television news. The DVD presents the real Chris Gardner, who found the investment firm Gardner Rich in 1987 and became a wealthy man, in the credits, and I loved the last scene when Will Smith and his son crosses and looks at Chris Gardner wearing a suitcase. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "À Procura da Felicidade" ("The Pursuit of Happiness")

Here's the deal: It's real, it's heavy, and it's inspirational, but NOT AT ALL cheesy. Don't like that? Don't see it. I won't say much else. I will say that Will Smith was shockingly good now that he's paid his dues with "Men in Black" and "Bad Boys."

I was very happy that this film never got political and blamed Reagan for the number of "down on their luck" people that were shown, nor was the race card ever pulled out. It was also refreshing that Smith's character never blamed anybody for his troubles.

It's very funny at parts, but be prepared for some serious drama. In no ways is it cliché or contrived or boring. Let's just say that's it not Oliver Stone dramatic. This truly is a must see. To say "I laughed, I cried" would be really lame. It is the truth, though.

We know that Scorsese's crowning achievement "The Departed" is going to take the cake at the Oscars, and I won't be complaining. But this movie deserves to be experienced and taken in by the masses.