The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton, Brian Howe, James Karen
directed by: Gabriele Muccino
directed by: Gabriele Muccino
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Product Description:
CHRIS GARDNER IS A STRUGGLNG SALESMAN, BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET WHEN HE & HIS 5 YEAR OLD SON ARE EVICTED FROM THEIR SAN FRANCISCO APARTMENT WITH NOWHERE TO GO. WHEN GARDNER LANDS AN INTERNSHIP AT A PRESTGIOUS STOCK BROKERAGE FIRM, HE & HIS SON ENDURE MANY HARDSHIPS IN PURSUIT OF THE DREAM OF A BETTER LIFE.
Amazon.com:
A heartwarming film that demonstrates how good, hard-working people can become homeless almost overnight, Pursuit of Happyness is a tour-de-force showcase for Will Smith, who convincingly portrays a down-and-out dad trying to better his family's life. Smith, who usually is cast in effortlessly boyish roles (Men in Black, Independence Day), is wonderful in the film--even in the scenes that shamelessly tug at viewers' heartstrings. Based on the true-life story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman forced at times to shelter his young son (played by Smith's adorable look-alike offspring Jaden Smith) in a men's room, there is little suspense to the film in terms of Chris' outcome. (His story and eventual success a successful and wealthy Chicago businessman was well-publicized on the newsmagazine show 20/20.) And let's face it, Hollywood's not too keen on making feel-good movies with unhappy endings. The beauty (and suspense, to a certain extent) of this film is in the way the story is told. Though he is constantly rushing around to get to appointments and pick up his child, things do not happen quickly for Chris. When he accepts an internship with a prestigious stock brokerage firm, there's a catch: The position is unpaid, suitable more for trust-fund children than single parents with no other source of income. In many scenes, the viewer panics along with Chris, wondering how he's going to feed his child. While Smith and his son, Jaden, share many tender moments together, Thandie Newton has the thankless role of playing Chris' shrill wife, who deserts her family early in the film. It's not a particularly challenging part for the talented actress, and her departure doesn't impact the storyline much at all. As for the movie's misspelled title, it's inspired from a scene in the film. (Seeing a mural drawn by the children at a daycare center, Chris points out to the proprietor that "happiness" is spelled incorrectly. She notes that it doesn't matter how the word is written--just that the kids have it.) With Pursuit of Happyness, Smith has come out of his safety zone and, in turn, ends up playing his most heroic role to date. --Jae-Ha Kim
Extras from The Pursuit of Happyness
Beyond The Pursuit of Happyness on Amazon.com
Stills from The Pursuit of Happyness (click for larger image)
CHRIS GARDNER IS A STRUGGLNG SALESMAN, BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET WHEN HE & HIS 5 YEAR OLD SON ARE EVICTED FROM THEIR SAN FRANCISCO APARTMENT WITH NOWHERE TO GO. WHEN GARDNER LANDS AN INTERNSHIP AT A PRESTGIOUS STOCK BROKERAGE FIRM, HE & HIS SON ENDURE MANY HARDSHIPS IN PURSUIT OF THE DREAM OF A BETTER LIFE.
Amazon.com:
A heartwarming film that demonstrates how good, hard-working people can become homeless almost overnight, Pursuit of Happyness is a tour-de-force showcase for Will Smith, who convincingly portrays a down-and-out dad trying to better his family's life. Smith, who usually is cast in effortlessly boyish roles (Men in Black, Independence Day), is wonderful in the film--even in the scenes that shamelessly tug at viewers' heartstrings. Based on the true-life story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman forced at times to shelter his young son (played by Smith's adorable look-alike offspring Jaden Smith) in a men's room, there is little suspense to the film in terms of Chris' outcome. (His story and eventual success a successful and wealthy Chicago businessman was well-publicized on the newsmagazine show 20/20.) And let's face it, Hollywood's not too keen on making feel-good movies with unhappy endings. The beauty (and suspense, to a certain extent) of this film is in the way the story is told. Though he is constantly rushing around to get to appointments and pick up his child, things do not happen quickly for Chris. When he accepts an internship with a prestigious stock brokerage firm, there's a catch: The position is unpaid, suitable more for trust-fund children than single parents with no other source of income. In many scenes, the viewer panics along with Chris, wondering how he's going to feed his child. While Smith and his son, Jaden, share many tender moments together, Thandie Newton has the thankless role of playing Chris' shrill wife, who deserts her family early in the film. It's not a particularly challenging part for the talented actress, and her departure doesn't impact the storyline much at all. As for the movie's misspelled title, it's inspired from a scene in the film. (Seeing a mural drawn by the children at a daycare center, Chris points out to the proprietor that "happiness" is spelled incorrectly. She notes that it doesn't matter how the word is written--just that the kids have it.) With Pursuit of Happyness, Smith has come out of his safety zone and, in turn, ends up playing his most heroic role to date. --Jae-Ha Kim
Extras from The Pursuit of Happyness
Behind the scenes footage of The Pursuit of Happyness high bandwidth | Chris Gardner: "On Being Studied By Will Smith" high bandwidth | Will Smith And Jaden Smith: "On Will Always Being In Character" high bandwidth |
 More Films Starring Will Smith |  More Films About Fathers & Sons |  The Book |
Stills from The Pursuit of Happyness (click for larger image)
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Awsome Real Life Story!
I think most people have been in situations where things just don't go their way and it seems like it can only get worse.This movie shows what determination and strength can produce.Will Smith and his son did an excellent job, this is a must buy.
Rating: 
- Consider the whole pic
Love the movie storyline!Packaging and service great!Unfortunately, the product arrived in a porous brown envelope that smelled of residual cigarette smoke.When envelope was opened, the product itself reeked of a stronger smoke smell.After 2 days of airing out, the smell dissapated.Don't know if smoke originated from seller or carrier.Either way, it was an unpleasant surprise.
Rating: - " If you want somethin', go get it."
This true story opens in San Francisco in the eighties, where salesman Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is barely able to make ends meet.His wife (Thandie Newton) gets fed up and leaves, and Chris must juggle a non-paying internship with a brokerage firm with caring for his five-year old son, Christopher (Jaden Smith). With no income, Chris and Christopher go from cheap apartment to cheaper motel and eventually become homeless.
I waited a long time to see this movie because I thought it ... Read More
Rating: 
- Good and Evil of Wall Street
Will Smith in his finest performance since ALi in 2000, gives the good side of how stock brokers get rich the hard way.The movie reflects how realistic and how hard it is to achieve success even through the hardest times.Before this movie, there was Wall Street in 1987 having Michael Douglas as the evil Gordon Gekko, power hungry stock broker who uses insider trading to make himself richer but yet Douglas won the Oscar@ for playing this guy and Will Smith lost his Oscar to Forest Whitaker as the ... Read More
Rating: - Awesome movie!
This is one of the best movies I have seen lately... I won't bore you with a synopsis - because I don't want to ruin it for you. But I will say that this movie takes you through all basic human emotions - and surely gives people hope. Highly recommended buy!
- Awsome Real Life Story!I think most people have been in situations where things just don't go their way and it seems like it can only get worse.This movie shows what determination and strength can produce.Will Smith and his son did an excellent job, this is a must buy.
- Consider the whole picLove the movie storyline!Packaging and service great!Unfortunately, the product arrived in a porous brown envelope that smelled of residual cigarette smoke.When envelope was opened, the product itself reeked of a stronger smoke smell.After 2 days of airing out, the smell dissapated.Don't know if smoke originated from seller or carrier.Either way, it was an unpleasant surprise.
- " If you want somethin', go get it."This true story opens in San Francisco in the eighties, where salesman Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is barely able to make ends meet.His wife (Thandie Newton) gets fed up and leaves, and Chris must juggle a non-paying internship with a brokerage firm with caring for his five-year old son, Christopher (Jaden Smith). With no income, Chris and Christopher go from cheap apartment to cheaper motel and eventually become homeless.
I waited a long time to see this movie because I thought it ... Read More
- Good and Evil of Wall StreetWill Smith in his finest performance since ALi in 2000, gives the good side of how stock brokers get rich the hard way.The movie reflects how realistic and how hard it is to achieve success even through the hardest times.Before this movie, there was Wall Street in 1987 having Michael Douglas as the evil Gordon Gekko, power hungry stock broker who uses insider trading to make himself richer but yet Douglas won the Oscar@ for playing this guy and Will Smith lost his Oscar to Forest Whitaker as the ... Read More
- Awesome movie!This is one of the best movies I have seen lately... I won't bore you with a synopsis - because I don't want to ruin it for you. But I will say that this movie takes you through all basic human emotions - and surely gives people hope. Highly recommended buy!
