Looking for happiness (2023)

Film criticism

"I met my father for the first time when I was 28 years old. When I had kids, my kids would know who their dad was." Chris Gardner, a sober salesman and father who was struggling desperately to make ends meet on the rough streets of San Francisco in the early '80s, swears by this has given up, and those he loves are teetering on the brink of disaster.

Day after day, Chris comes home to his dejected friend Linda and their 5-year-old son Christopher, without success. Linda works double shifts to stay insolvent while berating Chris for not complying. Not surprisingly, he doesn't think much about his latest idea: getting an internship with stockbroker Dean Witter. Linda's bitterness and negativity may wear Chris down, but they can't dampen the jaded salesman's delight in his son. Christopher is the apple of dad's eye.

So Linda leaves Chris (and her son) to work in New York. As soon as he leaves, Chris finds out that he has been offered the coveted internship. The footprint? Will not be paid. Despite the financial risk, Chris decides to give it a try and frantically juggles his schedule to get Christopher to daycare every day. But dwindling savings quickly lead to evictions. And then another one from a motel. Soon father and son are homeless, staying in city shelters on the good nights and in public restrooms on the worst.

As his desperation grows, Chris stubbornly clings to the hope that his hard work will eventually pay off. And their dogged quest for a better life forges a strong father-son bond that no misfortune can shatter.

Positive Elemente

"You are a good father." These tender words from Christopher to his father as they spend the night in a homeless shelter poignantly capture the essence ofThe pursuit of happiness🇧🇷 Chris isn't perfect, but one emotional scene after another clearly shows his desire to protect and provide for his son.

Physical affection (hugs and kisses) and emotional moments characterize the relationship. Chris repeatedly asks Christopher to trust him, and Dad proves he deserves that trust. When Linda threatens to leave, Chris demands that his son stay with him. He knows he will be a better father than she is, a reality Linda reluctantly agrees to. Christopher later asks his father, "Did Mommy leave because of me?" Chris replies, "Mommy left because of Mommy. And you had nothing to do with it.

Chris, who is actively involved in his son's education and spiritual development, is upset when he discovers that Christopher's daycare, Mrs. Chews, is letting the children watch.see hermilove boat🇧🇷 Chris teaches his son the meaning of words, e.g. B. the difference betweenprobablymipossibly, and the fact thathappiness is spelled wrong on the sign of your day care center. (It's misspelled with a "y"; the film's title intentionally does the same thing.)

Chris encourages his son to make a birthday wish list, then gives him a basketball as a gift. And one of the most impressive scenes in the film occurs when Christopher tries to score with his new ball. After a hard but missed jump shot, the father critically informs him, "You're going to excel at a lot of things, but not [basketball]," perhaps projecting his own experience onto his son. Christopher immediately meets Dad's low expectations and shoots weak. Noticing his son's dejected expression, Chris realizes his mistake and corrects the situation by saying, "Never let anyone tell you you can't do something. not even me All is well? do you have a dream You have to protect it. People can't do something of their own accord, it means telling you you can't do it. You want something, get it. Period."

On a harrowing night of homelessness, the duo is killing time at an abandoned Bay Area expressway stop. Father and son imagine that their father's bone density machine is actually a time travel device, taking them back to the time of the dinosaurs. Christopher happily participates in the fantasy game as they escape from a T-Rex into a "cave," a public bath where they spend the night. Dad holds the door shut with his foot, tears streaming down his face as he watches his innocent son sleep on his lap.

In addition to such a strong father-son relationshipThe pursuit of happinessit also presents the American dream as an attainable reality. It all starts when Chris asks real estate agent Dean Witter (whom he sees getting out of a bright red Ferrari) what it takes to get the job done. The answer he gets is, "You have to be good with numbers and good with people." Chris believes he has those skills and takes an aggressive stance on Dean Witter's executives once he learns that internships Are available.

He follows his first contact, Jay Twistle, until the man pays attention to him. Several other people at Dean Witter give Chris a chance to prove himself, although they're under no obligation to do so. And despite being practically broke, Chris gives one of his wealthy bosses $5 for a cab ride. Later, Chris misses an appointment with an executive (for reasons beyond his control) and goes to the man's house to apologize. Meanwhile, general manager Walter Ribbon kindly invites Chris and Christopher to share his box at a 49ers game.

A "live" television clip from President Ronald Reagan includes the admonition: "We must face the truth and work to change things." Chris does that and much, much more.

spiritual elements

Chris and his son live in a home that offers evangelical worship. A choir sings, "You promised you would meet me at the altar of prayer/...Lord, please move this mountain." Other lyrics insist "I will not give up" and include the phrase "Hello, Jesus".

Christopher tells his father a joke about a drowning man praying to God to save him. The man refuses the help of two passing boats and insists that God hears his prayer. After he dies and asks God why he didn't save him, God says to him, "I sent you two big boats, idiot."

sexual content

We see Linda in a bra and getting dressed for work. She can also be seen in her nightgown. Two scenes show Chris and Linda (who are single but living together) in bed (without any sexual activity). A quick photo from the shower shows Chris' shoulders.

violent content

Chris is running down a busy San Francisco street when he is hit by a car. He smashes the windshield and is thrown roughly onto the concrete (but avoids serious injury). Linda slaps Chris several times in anger; he in turn grips her arm tightly. On two occasions, Chris shakes his son in moments of extreme frustration, but manages to restrain himself long enough not to hurt Christopher. Chris gets into a fight with another homeless man who was walking in front of him at the shelter. (Their conflict is cut short before it can escalate into full-scale combat.)

Rude or profane language

A spray-painted F-word ruins Christopher's daycare slogan ("Joy. Fun. Happiness"). How does Chris explain the spelling mistakehappiness , Christopher asks: “It isF-well written? Chris tells his son that it's not a word he needs to learn and that it's not part of the school's motto. Other swear words include two words of one and a half and a handful each of the words "hell", "damn", "cul-" and "bitch".

drug and alcohol content

Linda smokes cigarettes.

Andere negative Elemente

Chris is not a naturally deceitful person. But several times he lies down in front of his son (who admits the cheating) to prevent the others from realizing how hopeless his situation is. And when he is unfairly forced to pay for a taxi he has no money for, he goes on the run. (The angry taxi driver chases after him, cursing and threatening.)

Chris' lack of money means he's constantly on the run from angry landlords who demand that he pay back the rent. He always tells them he will get the money, but he never manages to keep that promise. Someone paints "Dear Chris, you suck" on the wall of their apartment. An internship supervisor treats him like an on-call servant and asks him for all sorts of favors (e.g. buying donuts, moving the car, etc.). After the IRS pays $600 in back taxes from his bank account, Chris loses his temper and angrily demands that a friend pay him the $14 he owes (while his son looks on).

Christopher dances in his underwear in two scenes.

Conclusion

inspiringIt's not a word I would normally choose to describe a great film as it evokes associations of something sentimental or overly sentimental. However, I think that's the word that best describes Will Smith's powerful real-life portrayal of Chris Gardner's working father.

As a new parent, it's hard to imagine a movie that has done thisforeverbecause it inspires me more to be a good father. Days after watching it, memories of certain scenes challenge me in my own occasional moments of laziness or self-centeredness. Suffice it to say that self-pity and a lack of initiative are two personality traits that Mr. Gardner simply defines.noto show off, no matter how bleak it gets for him and his son. Instead, she always puts Christopher's needs ahead of her own. He can't always change his dire circumstances, but Chris does everything in his power to meet his son's physical and emotional needs and to protect him. Nothing can stop this loving dad from showering his son with love and tenderness.

Director Gabriele Muccino says of this precious father-son relationship: “The film unfolds like a love story. But in this case we don't have a meeting between a woman and a man. Instead, we have a father and a son going through life together. Your relationship is very strong, very powerful. ...Chris endures the unimaginable while still making sure not even the worst moments negatively impact his son's life. The on-screen chemistry between the two is certainly enhanced by the fact that Will Smith's son Jaden plays Christopher.

Only a few negative elements (mentioned above) and the film's occasional use of realistic street-level vulgarity let it down. I've certainly seen PG-13 movies with more language issues, but there's still enough here (20+) to give the most discerning viewer a break. What doesn't bring them down, and may even breathe new life into their own relationships, is Chris Gardner's powerful and passionate quest for the best possible life for his son.