Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Woody Harrelson
Directed by: Gabriele Muccino (Pursuit of Happyness)
Curiousity can do a lot of crazy things to a person. It can make them ask rather silly questions, swallow their pride, go beyond their limits, or even take particular risk. What does Seven Pounds do with our curiousity? It wastes our time.
The marketing campaigns for this movie was quite stupid…err…smart. The plot wasn’t let out and rightfully so; the movie is one big mystery. What I can tell you is the Will Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a huge secret that he wants to cope with and account for. So he uses his position to “audit” people that he essentially wants to help. The first 20 seconds is him sending out a call to 911 for his own suicide (relax, it’s not a spoiler) and from there, the next 119 minutes is how he got to that point and its aftermath.
A big chunk of the mystery is gone about 30 minutes in (if you are an attentive and smart enough viewer), but you keep paying attention because you are waiting for either a huge spin, a huge cry, or a huge zombie to come out of no where to turn this into I Am Legend 2. Director Gabriele Muccino, at least had a connection with the audience in Pursuit of Happyness, and one that evoked plenty of sympathy, sadness, and hope. While that film was nothing to write home about, it was certainly a lot more introspective and mysterious than this mystery was…and Pursuit was based on a true story that was told to millions.
Will Smith is not good in this. Plain and simple. I’m sorry to all of you Smitty fans, but his acting ranges to split seconds of anger to a pause to a tear drop to a reflection moment. It’s the same cycle throughout. If one actor does benefit from this movie, it is Rosario Dawson, who plays an ailing cardiac arrest patient. This shouldn’t be a surprise, however, she’s amazing in anything she does because of how genuine she is on screen. If the audience does and should care about one character in this movie, it is hers.
Seven Pounds will have to rely heavily on its vague marketing for people to see this movie because there really isn’t much else to bank on. The performances, aside from one, are not impressive, the character development of the main character is nonexistent, the secondary characters are useless, and the mystery/twist/big moment is nothing that you can’t get from staying at home watching an episode of 24. If you want to know the meaning of the title, email me, I’ll tell you. Seriously.
38/100
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks like Will may be going down hill… what was the last good movie he had? I liked Pursuit of Happyness, but I didn’t think his performance was the best in it. Will, you need to hook up with Jeff and come back as the Fresh Prince.
I don’t go to the movies that much…wait for it to come on tv…but is it that BAD? Will is usually on point.
The movie requires patience…and lots of it!!! I go to the movies all the time (my wife and I did 3 yesterday alone) and this was probably on the bottom of the 3 we saw on Christmas Day. I was getting aggravated at the pace of the movie, but the ending is warm and fuzzy. Granted, I was hoping the ending would be a little more worth it…kinda like 6th Sense was. Take a date, not your homeboy to go see it!!! Peace
Lastly, if you like Will Smith, go out and support him. There are worse movies out there to see!!!! Trust me. Ha Ha
yeah, there really are worse movies out there..
but this was omega weak
Real talk my brotha. And I wasnt feelin how he had to put Oakland on blast in the movie just because he was goin thu sum shit. Oakland get enough of a bad rap as it is we dont need him talkin shyt in his movie too.
Damn Deez, you’re kinda harsh on this. I went to see this with my girl and enjoyed it. The ending does become a little obvious if you pay attention but it was still well-executed. Real talk, mad peoples in the theater were breaking out the tissues at the end. Even ya boy came close lol. The concept of the movie was original though, something you don’t see very often these days.
On a different note, anybody seen The Day The Earth Stood Still? I’m going to see either that or Benjamin Button tomorrow and I’ve already heard good things about Benjamin Button.
KEEZ.. NO YOU DIDN’T MAN!!
that was the worst thing.. it should’ve made someone cry.. but I guess it’ll make a few people cry, I duno.. I thought it was cheesy and obvious and tacky. Rosario Dawson is amazing though…
I suggest you see Ben Button man. It depends on what you are looking for, but I’ve heard from trusted sources that Day The Earth Stood STill is a comedy that is supposed to be a drama
if you haven’t noticed, I take movies just as seriously as I take hip hop