The Pursuit of Happyness: Difference between revisions
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Despite Chris' valiant attempts to help keep the family afloat, the mother ([[Thandie Newton]]) of his five-year-old son Christopher ([[Jaden Smith|Jaden Christopher Syre Smith]]) is buckling under the constant strain of financial pressure. No longer able to cope, she reluctantly decides to leave. |
Despite Chris' valiant attempts to help keep the family afloat, the mother ([[Thandie Newton]]) of his five-year-old son Christopher ([[Jaden Smith|Jaden Christopher Syre Smith]]) is buckling under the constant strain of financial pressure. No longer able to cope, she reluctantly decides to leave. |
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Chris, now a single father, continues to doggedly pursue a better-paying job using every sales skill he knows. He lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, and although there is no salary, he accepts, hopeful he will end the program with a job and a promising future. Without a financial cushion, Chris and his son are soon evicted from their apartment |
Chris, now a single father, continues to doggedly pursue a better-paying job using every sales skill he knows. He lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, and although there is no salary, he accepts, hopeful he will end the program with a job and a promising future. Without a financial cushion, Chris and his son are soon evicted from their apartment. Chris finds the Food Program at [[Glide Memorial Church]] in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Tenderloin, San Francisco, California|Tenderloin neighborhood]] and is befriended by the [[Cecil Williams|Reverend Cecil Williams]] who is impressed by the love that Chris shows for his son. |
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Despite his troubles, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father, using the affection and trust his son has placed in him as an impetus to overcome the obstacles he faces. |
Despite his troubles, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father, using the affection and trust his son has placed in him as an impetus to overcome the obstacles he faces. |
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Revision as of 16:57, 13 December 2006
- This article is about the film, for the phrase see Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; for the band see The Pursuit of Happiness.
| The Pursuit of Happyness | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster for The Pursuit of Happyness | |
| Directed by | Gabriele Muccino |
| Written by | Steven Conrad |
| Produced by | Will Smith Steve Tisch Teddy Zee Todd Black Jason Blumenthal |
| Starring | Will Smith Dan Castellaneta Thandie Newton Kevin West Jaden Smith |
| Cinematography | Phedon Papamichael |
| Edited by | Hughes Winborne |
| Music by | Andrea Guerra |
Release dates | December 15, 2006 |
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 drama film starring Will Smith and his son Jaden. It is based on the true story of Christopher Gardner, a family man struggling to make ends meet.
Plot
Template:Spoiler Despite Chris' valiant attempts to help keep the family afloat, the mother (Thandie Newton) of his five-year-old son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) is buckling under the constant strain of financial pressure. No longer able to cope, she reluctantly decides to leave.
Chris, now a single father, continues to doggedly pursue a better-paying job using every sales skill he knows. He lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, and although there is no salary, he accepts, hopeful he will end the program with a job and a promising future. Without a financial cushion, Chris and his son are soon evicted from their apartment. Chris finds the Food Program at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood and is befriended by the Reverend Cecil Williams who is impressed by the love that Chris shows for his son.
Despite his troubles, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father, using the affection and trust his son has placed in him as an impetus to overcome the obstacles he faces.
Reaction
The Pursuit of Happyness was labeled as "predictable" by AP film critic Christy Lemire [1] while New York Magazine's David Edelstein called the film "an economic cliffhanger"[2].
Production notes
Thandie Newton and Dan Castellaneta also star in the film as Linda and Alan Frakesh respectively. Smith insisted that Italian Gabriele Muccino direct this movie because of Muccino's style in movies such as L'ultimo bacio and Ricordati di me.
The film uses real "street people" and real Glide church members and attendees are extras in some of the scenes featuring the church. The church choir and band, The Glide Ensemble and the John Turk Change Band, may also be in the film. The Glide Ensemble soloists and band are professional performers.
Trivia
- Speedcubing champions Tyson Mao and Toby Mao were hired as consultants to teach Will Smith how to solve a Rubik's Cube in two minutes.
- The word "Happyness" in the title has been taken from the misspelling of "Fun Joy Happyness" on a mural children have painted on the Chinatown daycare center where Chris Gardner takes his son, Christopher. When Chris points out the mistake, Mrs. Chu replies that it is not important to the pre-schoolers how the word is spelled, only that they have happiness. This leads Chris to contemplate the inclusion of the concept of the individual's right to "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence, and how to pursue a happier, more emotionally secure childhood for his son, than his own had been.
Awards and nominations
- Broadcast Film Critics Association
- Best Actor (Will Smith)- Nomination
- Best Younger Actor (Jaden Smith)- Nomination