Critical Review “The Pursuit of happyness”

Critical Review

“The Pursuit of happyness”

(By: Suprayoga)

A. Directed by                                    : Gabriele Muccino

B. Written by                          : Steven Conrad

C. Theme                                 : Life Struggle (a true story)

D. Characters

1. Major character              : Christ Gardner (Will Smith) is a hard worker, a full of love father.

2. Supporting Characters   : Linda (Thandie Newton) is emotionally unstable.

                                                  Christopher (Jaden Christopher Smith) is a strong motivator.

                                                  Jay Wistle (Brian Howe),  Martin Frohm (James Karen), Alan

  Frakhes (Dan Castellaneta), Walter Ribbon (Kurt Fuller), Mrs.

  Chu (Takayo Fischer), The hippie girl (Joyful Raven), etc

E. Setting                               

1. Setting of Place              : San Fransisco

2. Setting of Time              : 1981-1987

F. Point of View                     : First Person Point of View. The narrator involves himself in

   the story rather than outside. In this movie, Christ Gardner

    narrates himself in the story.

G. Symbol                              :

1. Stars and stripes (Flag) symbolizes “The United States of America”.

2. Christ Gardner always run symbolizes “pursuit”.

3. When Christ follows the internship program in the brokerage firm, one of the firm’s staff always asks him for help to do something. It symbolizes “discrimination”.

4. Christ Gardner walks and claps his hands among many people after he is told to be hired as a broker. It symbolizes “happiness”.

5. Christ Gardner works at the brokerage firm. It symbolizes “modern life”.

H. Tone                                  : Touching and deep compassion

I. Message                               : If we have dreams, we have to keep them and pursue them till

we reach them.

Life is a struggle.

We must try hard.

We must work hard.

We should never surrender.

We should never give up.

J. Plot                                     

With the background of big city, San Fransisco, the film tells the viewers the struggle of a young smart man, Christ Gardner, to pursuit happyness, something which Christ believed to exist. The strength of the film is the film seems to give something unusual, inspiration.

Christ Gardner, a homeless young man, tried hard to pursue happiness, something that very few homeless people would go on doing in 1980s. He tried hard to support his family by conducting a part time job; anyhow he could not fulfill his family needs. And even his girlfriend, Linda, had to leave him and his son, Christopher, because she could not stand being fed up with family financial problem and has to work double shifts. Logically there must be a big question, how can a mother leave her beloved son who she should care for?

And Christ has to live with his son, Christopher. He still tried hard to work. He finally got a job at a prestigious stock firm, Dean Witter Reynolds. Unfortunately,   he got no salary from the factory for six months. He worked diligently hoping that someday he could get a better job. In his difficult time, Christ was hired by Dean Witter Reynolds as a broker. The film is such an inspiring film. By watching the film I believe someone will have no reason not to try to do his best.

Parts of the plot

1. Riding the bus

When Christ was at the bus stop, a man came and thought Christ had a” time machine”. Christ was a salesman; his duty was to sell two portable bone-density scanners, one for rent and the other for day care. He met someone, a stockbroker, in front of a stock office. He was surprised that everyone seemed happier than he was. He asked whether he could work at such a firm.

2. Being Stupid

Being interested in applying for the job as a stockbroker, Christ came to Dean Witter Reynolds, a prestigious stock firm. Before entering the office, he had a hippie girl (Joyful Raven) singing on the pave guard his scanner. The hippie girl stole Christ’s scanner and escaped into underground railway station. Christ tried to chase her, but it was late.

3. Running

Christ chased the hippie girl who would go on a bus. He succeeded to take his stolen scanner from the hippie girl, but he failed to sell them that day. Linda had to leave him and his son, Christopher, because she could not stand being fed up with family financial problem and has to work double shifts. The landlord asked Christ to leave the rent-house.

4. Internship

Because of failing to pay parking ticket, Christ was arrested by the police. Meanwhile he had to attend an interview in Dean Witter Reynolds. Wearing bum clothes and being supported by a paint-smeared face, Christ attended the interview. After attending an interview, Christ worked as apprentice worker for six months at a stock firm, Dean Witter Reynolds. He worked hard to be hired as a broker.

5. Paying taxes

Christ got a letter telling him to pay taxes. He was broke; he got only $31 and 33 cent. He asked Wayne (Mark Christopher Lawrence) for his money, but Wayne did not give any. Christ then sold a scanner, he got $280.

6. Happiness

In his difficult time, Christ was hired as a broker at Dean Witter Reynolds.

In 2006 Christ sold his minority stake in his brokerage firm multimillion dollar deal.