The Pursuit of Happyness | ★★★★★★

My wife and I saw this movie last night and I was glad that we had free passes for it (popcorn included). Not that it was a bad movie but it was just so predictable. If you have seen the clips and trailers for the movie then you basically know the story and will find very little surprise in it.

That said, I have to also say how much I liked and admired Chris Gardner, the man that Will Smith portrayed. In Chris we see a nobleness and persistence in hardship that is inspiring. Unfortunately we never really get a chance to rejoice with him until the last paltry few minutes.

There are many great scenes in the movie where we get a peek into another part of Americana. We get a glimpse of what it is like to be poor, spend nights in a homeless shelter and fight for every dime you make. We also get a chance to see these events through the eyes of a little boy. I cried as I watched.

I disagreed with a subtle message of the movie that says that you cannot be happy when you are in hard times. On several occasions Chris gave us the impression that he would be happy when he 'got the job'. My experience tells me that, though it is often difficut, you can find happiness (small though it may be) in times of great difficulty and changing your circumstances will not always bring happiness. On a scale of ten I give this movie ★★★★★★.