Directed by: Gabriele Muccino. Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper. Drama, Romance.
SYNOPSIS: A MAN WITH A BURDEN ON HIS SOUL LOOKS TO SHARE A LIFE CHANGING GIFT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE STRANGERS, BUT FIRST HE MUST DETERMINE IF THEY ARE WORTHY.
As anyone who watches movies, particularly those of you out there who are true flick lovers, every once in a while you sit down and watch a movie that makes you sit back, reflect, and really think about yourself, your life, and the people close to you who comprise your world.
Seven Pounds is certainly one of those kinds of movies.
Now, I know you might be sitting there thinking 'Oh, no, he's gone all sappy on us.' Nope, not to worry, still the same wisecracking, sarcastic, ne'er-do-well blogger whose flick notes you love to read. Its just that this movie has that effect.
Will Smith (Hancock, I Am Legend) is a tortured man who is clearly at the seminal point of his life. We see that from the first scene, though its not made clear to us why. (Between me, you, and the fence post, its not too hard to figure it out) But, what is curious is the way this IRS agent goes out of his way to offend people, from the blind man on the phone trying to provide him customer service (Woody Harrelson, White Men Can't Jump, Anger Management) to the young woman in failing health who is awaiting a transplant (Rosario Dawson, Sin City) , yet seems to be obviously conflicted about...in fact, you can tell he is a pretty decent guy.
The evidence is there in the way he goes out of his way to help the elderly woman who is lonely and somewhat neglected in the hospital, or his efforts to help the Spanish speaking woman get out with her child before her wife-beating husband crosses the ultimate line.
Just what kind of tax collector is this? Sympathetic, yet sarcastic. Empathetic, yet rude.
Well, in full disclosure, I know the answer, as do any of you who have seen the flick, but I'm not going to be a spoiler here. I do feel comfortable in telling you that it has a whole lot to do with what is tormenting him. (Wow! Bet you didn't see that one coming, huh?)
The flick grabs you right from the first scene, and the story is told in flashback, but in a way that flows smoothly and is easy to follow, which also makes it easy for you to process what little you know about the future of the character while the back story is being told.
Now, will you figure it out? I don't know. I didn't. But, as my teachers used to tell me, I'm not "the brightest bulb in the batch", so you might have more luck.
The nice thing about this flick is that isn't one of those where "figuring it out" is the whole point of the movie. Its not vital to enjoying the story. And, I think you will. I'm a Will Smith fan, and I don't think I've ever seen him better than he is here. For those of you who like, or even need, a romantic undertone to your films to really get into them, you have it in spades here between Smith and Dawson.
I also should mention the small, but very important, role of Smith's life long best friend. (Barry Peppers, Saving Private Ryan, 61) This is a vital role to understanding and appreciating the story, though you won't fully understand why until the end. I thought Peppers was wonderful and, yes, you can buy he and Smith being best buds.
When you have a story that deals with some of the most important and powerful questions a human will face such as those posed by Seven Pounds, you need strong performances to make it work. What is really important in life? How can I make amends for the wrong I've done? If I'm willing to give someone else the best gift I can, how do I decide if they're worthy of it? How far does love and friendship go? And, once you've lost everything, but have a chance to get it back, can you go back on the good you've done to make amends?
See what I mean? These aren't just everyday questions, this movie isn't seeking to produce an every day response, and these aren't every day actors. And when you have a compelling story that will appeal to most everyone, good direction, and good actors giving some of the best performances you've seen them give, its inevitable what the result is going to be.
A very good film.
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