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Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is an African American very bright young man married to Linda (Thandie Newton) who has a difficult time working double shifts at a thankless job to support the family due to Chris’ inability to sell Bone Density Evaluators that he used the family’s life savings to invest in for a future that looks increasingly grim. Chris and Linda and their young son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) live next to the poverty line and finally Linda leaves, frustrated, angry and hurt. Chris and his son strike out on their own: the relationship between father and son as enacted by the Smiths is as touching as any on film. Bruised by the lack of success in selling his machines, Chris encounters a happy man who says his secret is working as a stockbroker with Dean Witter in downtown San Francisco. Chris applies for employment, passes an entrance exam and is taken on with the firm – only to discover he is an unpaid intern who must pass a hefty exam and perform at top speed in order to succeed.

With no income except from Chris’ continued attempts to see his medical machines poverty embraces the father and son and they end up homeless and hungry. The only things keeping Chris afloat are his love and concern for his son and his intense will to survive and succeed. How this works out is known because of all the PR from the film and from the actual facts of the story.

Will Smith and his son Jaden give warmly human performances, giving the camera as much with the silence of their faces as they deliver with lines. Yes, there are many moments when the heartstrings are heavily plucked, but there is no problem defending that in a society too famished for stories of human dignity in the face of tragedy. The large supporting cast is well directed and the production values are excellent. PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is well worth the journey. Grady Harp, March 07

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On one of his daily escapades, Chris finds himself in front of the San Francisco Stock Exchange and has an epiphany that will change his life. He wants to be one of those happy people that seem to pour out the double doors everyday with their smiling faces, shining cars, and jingling pockets. In a last ditch I’ve-got-nothing-to-lose effort at “happyness”, Chris enlists for a non-paying internship at a brokerage firm, armed with only a high school diploma and the ability to solve the Rubik’s cube at a mind-boggling speed. However, the hits keep on coming: Chris loses his home, his wife and a few of his colossal paperweights while he and his son brave unbearable odds on the streets of San Francisco.

“The Pursuit of Happyness” will make you laugh, cry and empathize with a character that is executed to three dimensional perfection. Chris is a man who is willing to stake everything to go for a dream that most people would say was far beyond his reach. He is sick of hearing “no” all his life; he is fed up with having no money all the time; and he is tired of being emasculated by his embittered wife everyday. Chris’ only source of inspiration is his eight year old son, a mascot egging him on with the simplest of smiles. No obstacle is going to deter him, even if it means sleeping in a public toilet. Will he make it? You have to watch the film!

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In the movie, Gardner is a medical product salesman who ends up splitting up with his wife and ends up homeless with his 5 year-old son. Determined to not give up, Gardner endures homelessness and ends up pursuing an internship for a stockbroker position at a major Wall Street investment firm. Despite the trials and tribulations Gardner went through, not only due to the lack of a roof over his head but also the hard work related to his internship and even an IRS seizure of his money to boot, Gardner’s endurance and hard work pays off.

The movie, and I am sure the book, is a testament to how anyone can get themselves out of poverty and become wealthy with hard work, persistence and determination. Gardner had an even bigger reason to work hard due to the need for him to provide a good life for his son.

The story of Chris Gardner’s going from rags to riches is an inspiration for us all and all of the elements of this film makes for one heckuva great flick!

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A story of hardship and hard work, paternal love and frustration, could easily be too saccharine for words. It’s saved from this fate by Chris Gardner’s desperation. Behind his indomitable pluck, Gardner is truly desperate. He has no money, no home, uncertain prospects, and the responsibility of providing for a young child. He hides his circumstances from his colleagues. He’s spends an inordinate amount of energy chasing errant bone scanners around town. He compromises his ethics. His single-mindedness eventually takes a toll on his son. Chris is struggling for his life. And his financial problems are something the audience can understand and may themselves fear. That’s why “The Pursuit of Happyness” works so well. Credit is due Will Smith’s Oscar-nominated performance and Italian director Gabriele Muccino’s understanding of intense emotions painted with small strokes.

The DVD (Sony 2007): There are 4 featurettes, the song “I Can” by Bebe Winans and Dave Koz (5 min, audio), and a feature commentary. “Making Pursuit: An Italian Take on the American Dream” (17 min) interviews Gabriele Muccino, Will Smith, and the producers about choosing Muccino to direct. Muccino talks about filming in San Francisco and working in English. “Father and Son: On Screen and Off” (7 min) recounts casting Jaden Smith after auditioning hundreds of other children, and Will Smith talks about working with his son. “The Man Behind the Movie: A Conversation with Chris Gardner” (12 min) interviews Gardner about his participation in the film, and Will Smith talks about learning from him. “Inside the Rubik’s Cube” (6 min) is a fun short documentary on the persistent popularity of the Cube. There is a nice audio commentary by director Gabriele Muccino, in English. Muccino tells us how he got the job, discusses themes, recreating the 1980s, Will Smith’s trust, locations, and some technical details. Subtitles are available for the film in English, French, Spanish. Dubbing available in French.