The Pursuit of Happyness - 9.5/10

Gabriele Muccino's The Pursuit of Happyness is arguably Will Smith's best film. The whole thing feels like an exercise in bleakness, at times even emotional torture as the viewer, watching Christopher Gardner desperately try to claw his way out of homelessness and navigating an ever complicated professional environment all while trying to be a good father. Will and Jaden Smith both make outstanding performances as Chris and Chris Jr. I believe the person who came up with the idea of casting Will Smith's real son as his character's son deserves a raise because it makes for such a genuine chemistry on screen that at points you forget that they're even acting. They're supported by a myriad of wonderful performances from Chris's fed up wife, to his perspective boss's, all of whom are delightfully oblivious of his increasingly worrying home life.

The film is a true biopic, in that Chris is on screen for pretty much the entire 117 minutes, not only this but he also narrates parts of the film. This, paired with the complete believability of the story and performances gives the viewer a feeling of closeness to him, a level of familiarity that I for one have rarely felt while watching a film. It makes you feel like you're on a journey, often through some very troubling themes, and Chris is leading you there in a somewhat chaotic-but-definitely-knows-what-he's-doing fashion. The story hails from a simpler time, before needing 6 years experience and several degrees for an entry level position, as Chris earns a place on his internship by proving to his would-be boss that he can solve a Rubik's Cube. It's shown in a charming way, and proves to the audience that Chris is as smart as you hoped he is, and therefore deserves a chance.

Speaking of the Rubik's cube, which was mentioned several times before climaxing in this pivotal scene, there are more of these mini arcs throughout the film, the main of which embodied by Chris's bone density scanners. These scanners are usually being lugged around by Chris everywhere he goes and are his main source of income which makes the viewer see them as an object of power capable of triggering a feeling of ease - a break from the constant angst one feels while watching a lot of this film. This is a very well designed plot device that keeps delivering throughout.

The title of this film is up there with the most apt titles of all films, because it does feel like a pursuit of happiness, or rather, a pursuit for the absence of worry. It's a beautifully shot, beautifully scripted take on a real story, one that's very similar to a lot of peoples real lives, which is why it has the ability to resonate so strongly with people. We all have this fear, of becoming homeless and helpless, but this film, being based on a true story, teaches us that one can beat this horrendous situation and go against the odds by bouncing back and achieving your utmost dreams all while being constantly barraged by life. This is just another reason why the film feels so genuine.

The reason this is arguably Will Smith's best film is because, in my opinion, it is perfect in it's own right. I wouldn't change a thing. I recently re-watched it and a lot of it is difficult to watch because you're seeing someone you respect and want the best for be knocked down again and again (at times literally, by a car), but the feeling you get at the end of the journey is worth it. As though rays of warm sunlight are breaching shaded clouds, suddenly you can't help but smile and a tear of relief forms in your eye. Will Smith passes the real Chris Gardner in the final shot of the film, turning to look back at him as if to say "I can't believe you actually pulled that off", and as the film reaches its final moments, the feeling of angst and worry becomes inspiration. The satisfaction felt by seeing Chris succeed is as good as it gets and we can assume that's because every single aspect of this film is designed to set you up for that final moment of relief, because the film itself is a pursuit of happiness.

9.5/10