A Homeless Hope for Happyness

A movie review that moves you to tears

CREDIT: The Pursit of Happyness Movie

Cheryl Amelia, Staff Writer

A purposely mistyped title in Hollywood.

The Y in “Happyness” as Chris Gardener himself explains it in most of his interviews, is the subject of You and what makes you happy in life.

The Pursuit of Happyness is definitely a highlight for those who were in their early twenties when the movie was first released in 2006. From zero to a potential hero, this wholesome piece continues to move the hearts of many youngsters in the years after it’s release.

Gabrielle Muccino, the director, immediately picks up the audience, taking them on board Chris’ journey. Alongside Chris’ rise out of homelessness with his five-year-old son Christopher, a competitive arena-like internship pressures him. An internship that will be life-changing for the single father; if he succeeds he’ll get the one spot out of all his genius intern buddies.

The famous Hollywood actor Will Smith, who played the main character Chris Gardener, is responsible for conjuring the beauty within this enlightening piece. From the anxious settings throughout Chris Gardener’s financial pressure to make ends meet.

Up until the heartbreaking performance that was made by the father-son duo that was played by none other than his actual real-life six-year-old boy, Jaden Smith. Despite having this movie as Smith’s first taste of the acting industry, he did an amazing job of bringing the audience to tears with the scenes that showcases his innocence and difficulty in understanding the homeless circumstances he suddenly has to go through with his father.

It is no doubt that this movie is a life-changing masterpiece for most first-time watchers. The movie couldn’t have served better justice for Christopher’s mother and her role as a parent. She was projected to be the bad guy while the real-life mother of Christopher is said to be different.

It is always a challenge to replicate the complexity of a nonfiction story into an engaging piece, and Muccino did his very best to commemorate the main inspirational parts of Chris Gardener’s story. Though others might enjoy the heroic description of Chris Gardener, it causes suspicion to some viewers and creates unrealistic standards for the audience who wish to have a life just like his. Sometimes it is better to jot down the flaws that the real-life Chris Gardener has, as it builds a healthier relationship with the audience and relates more to the reality of life.

Despite the over fictionalized nature in the movie, it is still one of the pieces that should be witnessed at least once in a lifetime. There’s many inspirational quotes in a duration of less than two hours. The audience feels as if they were going on a journey with Chris Gardener and his hardships from being broke, to being homeless and the heart-breaking scenes that are created whenever his son Christopher makes a cameo.

For those of you who are thinking about watching this movie, be sure to grab tissues and look out for the most heart-warming fatherly advice in the movie, “Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you gotta protect it.”