The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)

I have not been so inspired by a film in a long while. It was truly a story of believing in yourself when nobody else does, when the world hands you lumps and lemons, make the best of it, make lemonade as the saying goes. The true story of Chris Gardner is hard hitting, as real as he lived it in his own experience back in the early 1980's. It's a truthful documentation of his personal life battle to succeed despite all adversity, and how he overcame all the ditches to wind up on top, all the while being a solid and supportive father to his impressionable son. The line with his boy on the basketball court, where he tells him never to let anyone take his dream away by telling him he cannot do something, is very poignant as it shows us how easy it is to fold under negative pressure from people who say I CAN'T or YOU CAN'T. The message here is to take what you do have, even when it seems it isn't much, and try with all you have within you to turn it around, survive, come out on top and say I CAN. The supporting cast is extraordinary, especially young Jaden Smith as Christopher Jr. The extras are very interesting, especially the interview with the real life Chris Gardner. I recommmend this movie for all as the message is very positive and personally empowering....Believe in Yourself!

One of Will Smith's best works yet. He does a superb job playing the role of Chris Gardner. And his son does a pretty good job in the movie too. A must have for those who enjoy a touching drama suitable for the whole family. Based on a true story.

my mom and I watch this movie on mother's day and we enjoy it.There were times when I wanted to cry but couldnt. Both will smith and his adorable son Jaden should had got an oscar.Im going to add this movie to my collection.

This item shipped immediately, thus was received quickly. Also the movie is as described! Great price, great shipping, great description, great company!!!

As cinema, this is solid work. Smith has a great performance, his son is adorable, it's steady on the ups and downs and does a good job of conveying hardship and inspiring the person who's watching it.

The message is another story. This is a movie that at several points takes shots at government intervention and regulation, that praises hard work ethic, determination and talent as the gateway to wealth (which itself is the key to happiness in this story). It tries to reinforce the notion that poverty is the failure of the individual, and affluence conversely the triumph of it. It's no doubt a seductive message to the upper-middle class white people who make up this movie's intended audience.

Gardner's real story is a bit different. He was hired into the firm because of affirmative action, and his son was found badly neglected and covered in bruises. He had to sacrifice a lot and needed government help to get his foot in the door in order to bootstrap himself. The Gardner we see in the movie, on the other hand, is the "bootstrap king" to Reagan's "welfare queen", a grotesquely exaggerated caricature which masks the hidden complexities of poverty and welfare. It's to Smith's credit, then, that he is able to humanize this caricature, and to give it life and charm.

When confronted with good entertainment with a layer of deceptive morality on top of it, it's best to enjoy the entertainment and ignore the morality. My verdict: worth watching.

3/5