Movie Review: 'Seven Pounds' - Celebrity Bug

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12/30/08

Movie Review: 'Seven Pounds'

In 'Seven Pounds', Will Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a fateful secret that embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Storyline:
Will Smith's character, Ben Thomas, embarks on the journey to change the lives of seven strangers, at first, his reasons are unclear, in fact, for the better part of the movie you don't even know if Ben is a good guy or bad guy, but its very clear that he has a secret.

The movie continues to turn the tables on you, just when you've made up in your mind that Ben is a good guy, the roles reverse, when you find out he's not only lied about his profession, but also his name.

Towards the end, is where it is revealed that Ben is on this mission to help these people, in honor of an accident at his hands that cost seven lives, furthermore, Ben doesn't want to just help anyone, he's very forceful that their good people.

The latter part of the movie, does tend to become a little predictable, in fact, I knew how and why he would take his own life before any of the events occurred.

Acting:
As always, Will Smith delivers big time, as his character goes through an array of emotions, Smith brilliantly conquers them all. Rosario Dawson, also brings a raw emotion, vulnerability, and realism to her character, Emily Posa, and easily delivers the performance of her career.

Ben and Emily's relationship, is the heart of the movie, as Ben reluctantly falls in love with her though it was obviously not in the plans for him, made very clear by his attempt to distance his affection for her.

You root for Ben and Emily, and just when your dreams finally become a reality, Ben does the ultimate sacrifice and gives up his life to save hers.

That's not to say the movie doesn't end with an happy ending, because it proves to be just that as Emily and Ezra (Woody Harrelson), a blind man that had trouble talking to women, end with an emotional hug, leading you to believe they will end up together.

That along with the six other lives Ben change, make it evidently clear, that he's not the bad guy that you might originally think, in fact, he's almost like an angel saving lives and mending fences.

Direction & Visual:
Gabriele Muccino, who previously directed Smith in 'A Pursuit to Happyness', does a good job of actively capturing and displaying the wide range of emotions in a way that doesn't take away from the project or make you feel, in the least bit, shortchanged.

Overall:
The movie was panned by critics, which really doesn't mean anything because they tend to pan a lot of good movies and praise a bulk of the boring ones, but I found the movie extremely enjoyable and entertaining. Smith charms from the time he graces the screen until he makes his dramatic exit, proving why audiences flock to his movies continuously.


3.5 out of 5

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