The Pursuit Of Happyness review

The title is not, as it might first suggest, the story of a spelling-challenged hedonist. Indeed, the only Happyness (sic) to be found in this earnest, downbeat drama is in the title. A more appropriate moniker would be The Pursuit Of Money. The assumption that the acquisition of wealth equates to the acquisition of joy is deluded if not naive. But to many it represents the American dream, which is why the true-life story of Chris Gardner is considered inspirational and the ideal subject for a film.

The line 'Inspired by a true story,' which accompanies some films, is always inclined to prompt skepticism. It enables screenwriters to take artistic license, manipulating events and circumstance to suit their objectives. In the case of Steven Conrad here, it meant he was able to wring out every last drop of sympathy for Gardner (Will Smith) and the hardships he endures in his effort to provide a better life for his young son Christopher, played by Will Smith's 8 year-old son Jaden Christopher Syre Smith who makes a wonderfully accomplished film debut.

The rags-to-riches tale of Gardner is extraordinary, how he went from destitution to become a successful financial broker. The Pursuit Of Happyness focuses exclusively on the rags element, as we follow Gardner's slow, unrelenting slide into indigence. When the story begins in 1981, the bright, determined, indefatigable Gardner is trying unsuccessfully to sell the stock of Bone Density Scanners he invested his life savings in, only to discover the machines are all but superfluous. His nut-cracking wife Linda (Thandie Newton), increasingly frustrated with their financial situation, finally walks out leaving Gardner to look after Christopher.

Despite the presence of the always-engaging Smith, enduring Gardner's litany of setbacks for two hours becomes wearing. Under the direction of Italian director Gabriele Mucciono, the film assumes a very one-toned approach, offering little in the way of contrast. The determination to assert Gardner's bleak predicament is too heavy-handed. When Gardner took an internship as a stockbroker, the position carried a stipend, though in the film, to exacerbate his deprivation, it didn't pay anything. There is too much repetition and the symbolic use of having Gardner frantically running everywhere becomes annoying. That Gardner has his invaluable Scanners stolen not once, but twice is stretching a point, but to then have him miraculously bump into the pair of thieves days later still carrying the bulky machines borders on the incredulous. Even were it true, it serves little purpose here other than to drag things out longer than they already are.

To see how someone as smart and personable as Gardner can find himself reduced to sleeping rough in a public toilet with his son is to realize how easy it is for anyone's life to become derailed. The film also paints a vivid portrait of a thoroughly devoted father with the tender scenes between Gardner and Christopher having strong emotional resonance. But given that the ending was never in doubt, it was essential to at least keep the Pursuit constantly absorbing, which it isn't.

Kevin Murphy