Life lessons within a screen.

In the olden times, people got important life lessons from their parents or grandparents. Of course, I am not talking about the stone age! It's the time when there were no high-tech computers. We still get all the important teachings from our elders, but the technology has inspired us more than anything. Nowadays, we spend most of the time in front of the screens. So, if we do that, we might as well get something good out of it. During these tough times of the virus, we cannot go out in the cinemas to watch movies. That does not mean that we cannot enjoy the goodies at our homes, all you need to do is to close all the curtains, make some popcorn and snuggle into the most comfortable place. It can be even more fun than the cinemas. But, what good is all this set up when you don't know what movie to watch? Its your lucky day! I have found just the right one.

The movie i will review today is called the Pursuit of happyness. You see, I wrote a’ y ‘ instead of an ‘ i ‘ in the spelling of happiness. This has a very deep meaning in the movie. Don’t worry, I am not here to give spoilers to you, I want you to enjoy the movies. I will advise everyone to refrain from giving spoilers to your friends and family as it can really ruin a good movie experience for someone. Before we move to the review, you should know some basic information about the movie.

Basic Information

Release date- November 2006

Duration- 1 hr 57 mins

Genre- Drama [ thankfully, no melodrama ! ]

Available on- Netflix, Amazon prime video

The Main Cast

1. Will Smith as Chris Gardner

2. Jaden Smith as Christopher

3. Thandie Newton as Linda [ I know what you are thinking, no , she did not discover gravity]

4. Dan Castelleneta as Alan Frankesh

5. Brian Howe as Jay Twistle

6. James Karen as Martin Frohm

7. Krut Fuller as Walter Ribbon

The Plot

The story is about a struggling salesman, Chris Gardner trying to make a living for his wife who he cannot keep happy and his five year old son to whom he is not able to give enough time. He fights to make money and keep his family happy everyday. Everyday, his life is the same,running around on the streets trying to make a living out of selling his bone density scanners. He tries to sell them to doctors but they think that what he is selling is unnecessary and expensive. Selling one machine brings him a month of groceries, not selling one would mean a month of hardships. His life goes downhill. He tries to hold it together but it falls apart like sand slipping from between his fingers. One day, his life takes a turn towards betterment, he sees an opportunity and does not wait to grab it, what does that opportunity do to him? You shall see that for yourself.

The Review

I will divide the review into parts for a detailed analysis of various aspects of the movie.

The cast

I am happy to say that the performance of the cast members is quite satisfying and watch worthy. The protagonist is shown as a lovable and hardworking character. His son is shown as a cute and also very understanding child for someone his age. He sets a really good mood when the plot gets a little serious. The wife of Chris Gardner, Linda might not be the brightest character but she has played her role well as a frustrated wife and a worried mother. The supporting actors in the movie also maintain the character they are presenting. [ I am not mentioning all characters and their roles in order to keep this a spoiler free experience for you all ].

Locations

The locations are set in San Francisco which are beautifully displayed. There are many beautiful places like the stranger parks and Taylor street which you will see in the movie.

The Background Theme

Unlike Bollywood films, Hollywood does not incorporate many songs in it’s movies. The same goes with the pursuit of happiness. But it has a great background theme. The background theme is a sweet, slow and melodious piano which is quite memorable and peaceful.

The Theme And Moral

The theme is drama and the moral given in the movie is simple and familiar. If one holds on without giving up for long enough, success is bound to come. The moral is simple but expressed in a creative way where the viewers can watch it with interest.

About The Director

Gabriele Muccin born 20 May 1967 is an Italian film director. He has worked his way from making short films only aired on Italian television to become a well-known and successful American filmmaker. He is the elder brother of actor Silvio Muccino, who often appears in his brother's films. Muccino has directed 12 films and is best known for his first American film The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. Muccino has been nominated for and won several awards including the David di Donatello Award for Best Director in 2001 for his film The Last Kiss.

Take a little melody before you leave

I would like to recommend a song before i conclude the blog,

The song is called ‘Starman’ sung by David Bowie. It is a song one could hear while dancing or simply sitting with your eyes closed. It is a peppy and catchy song. The guitar will put you to peace. It describes the salvation of an alien 'star-man' and hope for the youth.

I hoped you found this post useful, stay tuned for the next one!! Till then, see ya!