Rama's Screen

Whenever you feel there’s no good left in this world and that mankind has lost the ability to commit selfless acts, then watch SEVEN POUNDS. This is an unlikely holiday film that captures the spirit of giving in the most risky and questionable way. It’s… deeply-affecting and it heavily depends on your curiosity to keep you watching to the very end. It may not be Will Smith’s best movie but he still gives his finest performance nonetheless.

Academy Award® nominee Will Smith reunites with the directors and producers of “The Pursuit of Happyness” for the emotional drama “Seven Pounds.” In the film, Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a fateful secret who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Director Gabriel Muccino who helmed THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS returns to bring his same style into SEVEN POUNDS, the pacing is a bit slow and some might see it as depressing, and there’s much emphasis on showing the emotion and struggle before any type of conclusion or answers are revealed. But it really does try to be a drama and nothing else, I barely even remember any actual funny lines or humorous moments in this story.

There are movies out there that could do well in presenting the characters and the situations at hand without flashback scenes, but I’m glad this movie has those moments because they make us understand better and to a certain degree, it adds to the sadness that motivates an upcoming act of kindness. Original music by Angelo Mili does a good job in giving that soothing and calming comfort needed right before one decides to do something drastic.

The story is written by Grant Nieporte whose resume includes writing for the once popular comedy series 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter. Who would’ve thought that he’s got it in him to craft such touching and mysterious drama as SEVEN POUNDS. The first half of the movie might leave a bunch of question marks in the minds of the audience but the second half picks up the pace. The way it’s written, the way it’s constructed, makes you keep wondering what the character’s true intentions are. In a way, it’s a very controversial story about the search to redeem one-self from past mistakes. This implies that suicide can be the right thing to do when organ donation is what comes after it. I’m not sure if that concept can be justified but SEVEN POUNDS does well in convincing us to agree with the idea.

Last but not least, the great Will Smith has done it again. I don’t believe there’s a bigger movie star right now than the former Prince of Bel Air who whenever is on screen, whenever he acts, he would go straight for the jugular. He gives an honest, heartbreaking portrayal of a man with a secret plan to give ‘gifts’ to strangers who deserve them.  I just hope the message doesn’t get misunderstood by some. Because playing God usually doesn’t end up as heroic as what’s presented in SEVEN POUNDS.

* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film