SEVEN POUNDS (2008)

Directed By: Gabriele Muccino 
Written By: Grant Nieporte 
Cinematography By: Philippe Le Sourd 
Editor: Hughes Winborne 

Cast: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper, Robinne Lee, Bill Smitrovich, Andy Milder, Octavia Spencer, Madison Pettis 


Haunted by a secret, Ben Thomas looks for redemption by radically transforming the lives of seven people he doesn't know. Once his plan is set, nothing will be able to stop him. At least that's what he thinks. But Ben hadn't planned on falling in love with one of these people and she's the one who will end up transforming him.

Beautifully filmed, artistically rendered, colorful scenes and backgrounds. Many seasonal hues all over the scenery.

This film reunites Will as in with director Gabriele Muccino who successfully collaborated with him on the dramatic, successful, blockbuster THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS. Which also resulted in good reviews and oscar nominations.

So you can see the reason this film was built as a mystery. At least in the advertising that helped sell the film and make it more intriguing. As this film comes off with a prestigious pedigree. It seems like a dramatic thriller but comes off as a romantic drama.

What the audience ends up with is a darker but no less partially idealistic film. That deals with the depths of grief, but becoming a better person or seemingly like he is paying for one mistake that affected many, with an extended penance. First though he has to complete his mission. The film plays up the mystery at first, but keeps building for us to take on a bigger mystery and finally get an explanation at the end. Which when it does come about feels not as big as it has been built to be.

The one thing this film does is set up Will Smith as martyr. It is almost like watching torture porn watching his character throughout the film. So that This film comes off as a less severe and grand PASSION OF THE CHRIST. With a kind of tortured soul who finds some kind of romance. Yet feels guilty about it. Under the disguise of a modern day love story. Going through the idea of love is pain. Working his way through a personal trauma with determination.

Then he decides to make a sacrifice for her and also complete his mission on the most implausible and pretentious way for a film to almost end that becomes embarrassing to the film.

The film wants to be devastating not ends up looking more comical and choosing an exotic way to do it that feels over the top and seems more like an aesthetic choice rather than a well thought out one.

What one can appreciate about the film is that besides the mystery. Is that the film is like a romantic melodrama from the 1950's only the romance doesn't really come into the picture until the second half. So that the first half has more room for the mysterious melodrama. Though this is a film that can only be upheld by a movie star as it revolves around him and it’s not only designed to stretch an actor but through acts throughout. We associate the actor with the character who is a victim of his own self on his way to martyrdom. So that it makes the actor as well as the character instantly likeable and tragic

Here it’s nice to see Rosario Dawson in not only a powerful leading role, but a larger more important one than the usual. Not just the damsel in distress or girlfriend. Here she gets to create and have a lived in character and while they make a connection and make the third act more s romantic film altogether. She holds her own and is complete. Not totally changed by the romance, but not rejecting it or the experience either. She just doesn't let it define her.

The film despite the tragedy like their last film together tries to be uplifting underneath and because of the hardships faced. So it becomes something you don't see anymore. A melodramatic romance mixed with a high concept mystery. That tries to portray itself as a drama. In it's nice clothes.

Though this film does show Will Smith more concerned about his image and challenging himself as an actor. Rather than repeating himself. For all of his carefree public image. It seems that when it comes to his work as an actor he puts more effort and thought into it rather then usual

GRADE: C+