Sunday, April 01, 2007

The Pursuit of Happyness Review: There’s a Y instead of an I

I happen to see the poster in the newspaper about the release of this movie. First, I passed it off to be another so called inspired from true story but really no substance in it. But, after many a word of mouth, I happen to see this lovely, touching and of course inspiring movie – The Pursuit of Happyness.


The movie revolves around Chris Gardner’s personal struggle of establishing himself as a stockbroker while managing fatherhood and homelessness. The movie is beautifully made with some moving scenes like the times when Chris doesn’t have a place to stay or when he’s given the offer for a job he wanted badly. The movie is about a wholehearted attempt to reach the goals with rising every time you fall until you attain it – what we call Perseverance; Chris knows it as a way of life!!! The way the story is narrated in “Parts” is also interesting. This is a superb performance from Will Smith which will make you identify with the crisis he is going through. The character of Chris is really heartwarming – there’s no anger in him even after his lost childhood and wants his son to get what he never got. The dialogue between Chris and his son is very inspiring – especially when he tells his son about being determined on what to get in life and just go after it.

Though, sometimes the Real Story" is a bit hard to believe - particularly the character of Chris. You would want the character to be more real and eventually how it matures. But sadly that’s not focused.

Ending Note: Chris goes in the pursuit of happiness and finally finds it with a job. But is it about linking your happiness to an event? So what’s stopping you from being happy? As Leo Tolstoy said: “If you want to be Happy. Be.” That’s the reason happiness is spelt with an I and not a Y. Cause the answers to the Y lies with the I.

happy,
Neo