The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

	Directed by: Gabriele Muccino	COUNTRY USA GENRE Drama/Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Jakten på lykke RUNNING TIME 117 minutes
	Produced by: Todd Black Jason Blumenthal James Lassiter Will Smith Steve Tisch Teddy Zee
	Written by: Steven Conrad

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Chris Gardner	Will Smith	½
Christopher	Jaden Smith	½
Linda	Thandie Newton
Jay Twistle	Brian Howe
Martin Frohm	James Karen
Alan Frakesh	Dan Castellaneta
Walter Ribbon	Kurt Fuller
Mrs. Chu	Takayo Fischer

Review

The moral of this story is simple and well-known, but it's presented with honesty and warmth by Italian filmmaker Gabriele Muccino and his two stars Will Smith and Jaden Smith – who revel in the presence of each other. Muccino approaches the film cleverly – he manages to make it detailed and meticulous, yet constantly forward-moving. Make no mistake about it, The Pursuit of Happyness is a demanding film. Our protagonist encounters constant setbacks and uphill struggles. Still, there is always a glimpse of hope on the horizon. There's always something that keeps us going, a little quest that lies ahead, something that makes us cling to the promise. And this is exactly what motivates our protagonist Chris Gardner – on our behalf.

At times, The Pursuit of Happyness grazes a sentimental overtone, but mostly it hits all the right notes. The key is first and foremost the brilliant acting by the lead duo. Will Smith gives arguably the best performance of his career. The devotion, determination and, ultimately, relief he is able to convey is breathtaking. By his side, we find what might be the greatest child talent since the early days of Elijah Wood. The effect of young Jaden Smith acting opposite his own father need not be discussed here, but it certainly doesn't take away any of the appeal.

The Pursuit of Happyness is one of the best balanced movies of the year. It shows that a well-used, fundamentally American theme like this can still work, given the right amount of human insight and a delicate dose of joyous comedy. It has both quirkiness and simplicity, it combines slow, attentive segments with scenes of fast-paced, hectic everyday life, and it knows better than most that the sweet won't taste so sweet without the sour. This is what makes the final five  minutes of the movie so wonderfully rewarding.