There comes a time when the madness of being the 'go-to' and reliable guy at the box office crashes into a wall. Every actor has their peaks and valleys. One good film doesn't guarantee the next film will be the same.
This can be said for Will Smith's latest film, 'Seven Pounds'. As mysterious as the producers, including Smith himself, want to be about the plot of the film, the pacing of the film is painfully slow that by the time one gets to the payoff at the end and understands what's going on, you may be fighting to remember what happened during the film if you stayed awake for it.
As good as Smith has been at the plate (box office) with hit after hit, he struck out with this at bat.
As shown in the commercials, Ben Thomas (Smith) is an engineer who is still traumatized by a mistake he caused years ago and is looking for redemption. He chooses seven individuals who he feels can help mend his own fences, including a lovely female (Dawson) whom he would eventually fall in love with.
Directed by Gabriele Muccino, who worked with Smith on 'The Pursuit of Happyness', the pacing of the film is what takes away any emotion that the audience may have felt for the character. At the same time, none of Thomas's actions seem believable once you have figured out what he's trying to do. Folks need to have a sense of realism if you are looking for them to understand the character and everything surrounding them.
Most of the supporting actors with the exception of Dawson are wasted with limited screen time. Blink and you will never know Michael Ealy is the film or that Woody Harrelson was more like a prop than a character.
Dawson is able to hold her own with Smith and her beauty is probably what keeps the film alive. Smith is doing his best to give you a heartfelt story at the end of the year, but he may have overdone it. It's time to go back to basics and entertain us so that we don't have to yarn throughout the film. If you happen to be a film buff, then think of this film as 'Pay It Forward' Meets 'Meet Joe Black'.
Will Smith Pictures
Actors Jada Pinkett-Smith, her husband Will Smith (R) and their two children, Willow (L) and Jaden Christopher, arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa", on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Singer Fergie (L) arrives with actors Jada Pinkett-Smith and her husband Will Smith (R) and their two kids, Willow (L) and Jaden Christopher, at the Los Angeles premiere of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa", on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Actor Will Smith, second from right, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, right, daughter Willow Smith, left, and son Jaden Smith pose on the press line at the premiere of the feature film "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" in Los Angeles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)
AP
Actor Will Smith, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, actress Willow Smith, and actor Jaden Smith arrive at the "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles premiere on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere .Mann's Village.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (16107424), contact FilmMagic.com
WireImage.com
Actors Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Jaden Smith arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" at the Mann Village Theatre on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals.Mann Village Theatre.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jesse Grant/WireImage.com..To license this image (56055689), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Actors Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Jaden Smith arrive at the premiere of Dreamworks' "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" at the Mann Village Theatre on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals.Mann Village Theatre.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com..To license this image (16107166), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Actors Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Jaden Smith arrive at the premiere of Dreamworks' "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" at the Mann Village Theatre on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals.Mann Village Theatre.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com..To license this image (16107158), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Actor Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Jaden Smith arrive at the premiere of Dreamworks' "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" at the Mann Village Theatre on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals.Mann Village Theatre.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com..To license this image (16107157), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Actor Will Smith, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, actress Willow Smith, and actor Jaden Smith arrive at the "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles premiere on October 26, 2008 in Westwood, California.."Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" Los Angeles Premiere .Mann's Village.Westwood, CA United States.October 26, 2008.Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (16106096), contact FilmMagic.com
WireImage.com
Will Smith, far left, a producer of the film "The Secret Life of Bees," and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, far right, an executive producer of the film, pose with cast members Tristan Wilds, second from left, and Queen Latifah at the premiere of the film at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP
Comments: (9)
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By: Tameka on 12/19/2008 5:54PM
The reviewers must be action hero junkies, this is not that type of movie. Being an advocate of the main plot of the story I immediately knew what the movie was about, however by the end of the movie that did not matter. If you don't figure out what is happening until the end it is still ok because there is a subtle suspense building that will keep you wondering "how in the world is this going to end". This move will bring all but the most stoic people to tears. It is a beautiful movie with as much of the story being told in the actors actions and expressions as with their words. This is surely going to win awards next year.
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By: Kim Love on 12/19/2008 10:07PM
I don't understand why the critics didn't like the movie. I thought that the story line was gut wrenching and beautiful. Why does everything have to be fast pace. To try to make rights with all the wrongs that have been done, what is wrong with that?
I personally loved the story. I hope that I am not the only one.
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By: Ele on 12/20/2008 6:34PM
Thanks Will to not give us the same fluffy christmas drama/commedy. I love this film. It was emotional, well played, and with wonderful songs (Muse "I'm feeling good" most of all)
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By: neo on 12/21/2008 1:06AM
THIS FILM REVIEW IS 100% CORRECT!!!! I WISH I READ THIS BEFORE I WENT TO SUPPORT WILL. WE LOVE YOU BRUH, BUT THIS WAS NOT IT FOR ME.
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By: Ayley G on 12/21/2008 5:12PM
I agree. The pacing was very slow. A couple of times I shut my eyes [not something I usually do in a theatre] and felt if I hadn't forcibly opened them, I might have fallen asleep. Also, I've seen both Will Smith and Rosario Dawson on the tube this week promoting this film. Ms. Dawson said she thought this was a film about love and Mr. Smith said he doesn't do anything in life now that isn't purpose-driven. Also, Oprah said that one did not know what was happening till the last five minutes of the film. First, to Ms. Dawson's comment: this is so NOT about love, in my opinion. This is about a tortured man who is looking to atone -- he is not motivated by love of any kind. He randomly picks people that he feels is deserving based on what? [not saying they're not deserving, just asking the question]. To Mr. Smith's comment [previous to this movie I would say I have a positive impression of Will] I'm not sure what kind of message this sends and I don't know how he chooses his projects. Certainly this must have been a challenging role to play. Oprah and her audience agreed that they didn't know what was happening till the end. Sorry, but anyone who could not begin to put the pieces together by the middle of this movie, well, I'm unsure how bright they might be. I do not believe that I have mental powers beyond the average citizen, but when a movie starts with a 911 call about the main character's suicide and proceeds throughout the movie to show mileposts, how could the ending be anything but ordinary and predictable? I found this movie to be the worst kind of manipulative tear jerker. And to release this and promote it at holiday time just underscores lack of planning or lack of story or something [I'm not a reviewer so I don't know the exact pieces that its missing]. I guess they wanted to release it to be in contention for Oscar nominations. While both Smith and Dawson are good in their respective roles, I didn't really feel their characters related to one another well and ultimately the movie was absolutely awful so maybe they should have spent more time pacing and editing and possibly a better movie may have resulted.
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By: April on 12/23/2008 11:10AM
I went to sleep! woke up the day and the movie was still on! I have no clue what happened, but I do know this if Will Smith was in it then it must have been good lol!
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By: harmst2200 on 12/23/2008 4:40PM
Yes the movie was slow but I expected it to move slowly because of how slow The Pursuit of Happyness was.............but, it was a really good movie.
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By: agua.carbonica on 1/02/2009 2:57AM
My family made this unfortunate choice for New Years, and I'm afraid I agree with the reviewer.
I definitely had my tears jerk at the end, but I didn't feel like the emotional tug was worth the painful creepiness that I experienced for 3/4 of the film.
Will Smith's character was extremely hard to identify or sympathize with for over the half film. In real life, his behavior would have rung all sorts of warning bells for most of the people he interacted with, but this is just ignored or excused by the director.
Also, unlike the theatrical marketing, the television marketing for this movie was extremely misleading. I didn't pick the movie so I wasn't affected, but anyone who chose this movie based upon the television commercial would have expected an uplifting feel-good about a selfless man, not a tortured soul in a downward spiral, trying desperately and bizarrely to atone for his sin.
I don't hate this movie, and I can see it having its own cult following. But lets face it, y'all - it didn't live up to the hype.
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By: Onusomos on 2/26/2009 1:11PM
I disagree that the movie was too slow, too clever, too complicated and easily forgetable from one reveal to the other. What impressed me most was that even after he found love with Emily, that he had the fortitude to make good on his decision to make restitution in kind by using his own seven pounds of flesh. It would have been complete crap if he changed his mind in the end. As for the critics who were likely blogging and/or twittering during the movie, consider the seven seconds of his eyes on that PDA which was the true tragedy of the loss of lives. I thought the movie was ambitious and also easy to understand as I knew right away what his intentions were. Again, I wanted to see whether the director would have the fortitude to see the drama through to the conclusion eventually seen, and this was the only ending that made Tim remarkable.
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