Post by Simon obviously on Jan 19, 2007 14:04:21 GMT
Simon says - 3.5/5
To start with, this film once again proves that you can't go far wrong with your main character if its Will Smith lol - purely because for some reason the man is so damn likeable even in crappy movies. If ur a scriptwriter tryin to evoke empathy for him u neednt write a thing!
For a film like this ur behind his plight from the beginning - esp. when coupled with the fact he plays opposite his real life son, so the two have a perfectly natural chemistry. Laced with some nice humour, for me this evoked in all the right places - you are genuinely frustrated with his seemingly endless one step forward two steps back tale, and you really feel for him come the final did he get the job? moment - go on, bet you can't guess what happens?! ;D
Thandie Newton has a completely thankless role mind, essentially there to be a bitch so we feel for Will more but she's not around long and the scenes with him and his son do shine - my stand-out moment being when they are alone in the subway after a VERY bad day and end up pretending they've gone back in time (that'll make sense wen u see it!) - v. sweet moment, capped off with one of the most emotional moments -I know, I'm gay, sod off.....
It's not a perfect film and in terms of sticking to the actual true story of chris gardner it does bend the facts a bit to serve the plot (the unpaid internship in which Smith struggles so hard was actually paid in real life! lol) and the morality of this is questionable - essentially his happiness is really a pursuit to get lots of money when you boil it down lol but this doesn't hamper what is mostly a pretty solid movie. And as for the thing of sticking to the facts (which some reviewers seemed to get v. hung up on) at the end of the day for me it only says "inspired by" a true story lol and that doesn't stop it from being a gripping film in terms of character etc and as long as stuff isnt outrageously different, that for me is the real test.
Some nicely shot moments as well.
So, I recommend you check it out! See what you think! And another tidbit before I go - "Noooo! Captain America!" Like Wilson on Castaway! (not quite that much....) Lol - u'll see what I mean.
Laters, off to see Smokin' Aces now! And then Rocky Balboa at the wkend! There had best be a montage in it!!!! ROCKY! ROCKY!
To start with, this film once again proves that you can't go far wrong with your main character if its Will Smith lol - purely because for some reason the man is so damn likeable even in crappy movies. If ur a scriptwriter tryin to evoke empathy for him u neednt write a thing!
For a film like this ur behind his plight from the beginning - esp. when coupled with the fact he plays opposite his real life son, so the two have a perfectly natural chemistry. Laced with some nice humour, for me this evoked in all the right places - you are genuinely frustrated with his seemingly endless one step forward two steps back tale, and you really feel for him come the final did he get the job? moment - go on, bet you can't guess what happens?! ;D
Thandie Newton has a completely thankless role mind, essentially there to be a bitch so we feel for Will more but she's not around long and the scenes with him and his son do shine - my stand-out moment being when they are alone in the subway after a VERY bad day and end up pretending they've gone back in time (that'll make sense wen u see it!) - v. sweet moment, capped off with one of the most emotional moments -I know, I'm gay, sod off.....
It's not a perfect film and in terms of sticking to the actual true story of chris gardner it does bend the facts a bit to serve the plot (the unpaid internship in which Smith struggles so hard was actually paid in real life! lol) and the morality of this is questionable - essentially his happiness is really a pursuit to get lots of money when you boil it down lol but this doesn't hamper what is mostly a pretty solid movie. And as for the thing of sticking to the facts (which some reviewers seemed to get v. hung up on) at the end of the day for me it only says "inspired by" a true story lol and that doesn't stop it from being a gripping film in terms of character etc and as long as stuff isnt outrageously different, that for me is the real test.
Some nicely shot moments as well.
So, I recommend you check it out! See what you think! And another tidbit before I go - "Noooo! Captain America!" Like Wilson on Castaway! (not quite that much....) Lol - u'll see what I mean.
Laters, off to see Smokin' Aces now! And then Rocky Balboa at the wkend! There had best be a montage in it!!!! ROCKY! ROCKY!