The Pursuit of Happyness - quick review - Page 2

GIjon213 · 12-28-06, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovieEnthusiast

Sometime I hope to be able to figure out how to insert other Forum Users' quotes... have been unable to find out how to do it in the FAQ's.

Jim

Like this!

Actually, there is a button in the lower right-hand corner of each person's box that says "Quote". When you click on it you go to the advanced page for 'Reply to Thread' where you will see the person's words with the beginning having {quote=XXXXXXXX} (replace the { with [ and the XXXX with their user's name) and the ending having {/quote} Once again, replace the { with [. What ever words you keep in between those quotes, it will show up in a quote box when you hit submit.

das Monkey · 12-28-06, 10:07 AM

Quote:

• devilshalo •

There is a very quick line at the beginning about never knowing his own father who had walked out, so he wanted to make sure he was there for Christopher.

I know. That helps explain why he strives to be a better father, but I was addressing who kept the kid when they split and the scene where Linda accepts that she's not able to take care of him.

das

fumanstan · 12-28-06, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfredog1976

Sure it would be frustrating, but c'mon, that's her child she left. I might be a little sympathetic if it was just her and the husband...very selfish on her part IMO.

Oh no question about that... I don't feel she was right to do so, but it just makes it a bit harder for me to feel sympathetic to Chris when she left based on the circumstances.

movieking · 12-30-06, 02:20 PM

I thought that this movie was pretty good, but I definitely see how people could see it as draining. Since I am not a big Will Smith fan, and I thought that he was overrated in Ali, I wasn't particularly expecting much in this film, which is why I probably seem to have been pleasantly surprised by the movie whereas many others were disappointed.

dpz301 · 01-01-07, 10:01 PM

i saw this the other day, and unfortunately, had to sit in the front section the theatre because every teenager and family was there because they had already seen night at the muesum.

anyway, i enjoyed the film and as others said, i felt it was a little long. its another one of those films that you walk out and say, that was good and will smith did a great job, but i might not be too excited too see again. will's like boy is going to be a good actor if he keeps it up IMO.

my girlfriend got the book for christmas, can't wait to hear all about it since i know everything that happens.... not!

harpo787 · 01-04-07, 08:04 PM

Thumbs up from me too. I had mentioned in the Rank 'em as you see 'em 2007 thread that it got 3 1/2 stars from me, but it was hard to say I "enjoyed" the film. Glad to see I'm not alone in this.

I also agree with those who say that Will Smith did a damn fine job.

harrydoyle · 02-12-07, 10:16 AM

I finally saw this movie last night. I liked it a lot, and I almost never like biopics.

The thing that struck me though, and I was wondering if anyone else got this -- the movie I couldn't help thinking about while I was watching it was Kramer vs. Kramer. Did anyone else get this?

calhoun07 · 03-24-07, 12:56 AM

I watched this tonight and I see a lot of great points here. Yes, it was draining. It's one bad fall after another for this guy. Geez, I felt like I was watching Children of Men all over again (in terms of nobody ever getting a freaking break!)

I guess thinking about it I would have to say the characters weren't all that fleshed out to me. The real Chris Gardner had a lot of input on the script and it seems he wanted to keep true to the actual way things happened, but in doing that they really didn't explain to me WHY??? While he was married he could have taken a job at McDonald's or some other place to help make ends meet. He could have sold his machines part time....where was the rush to sell them if he could secure another job? They were paid for, so it wasn't like he had a quota to make. Get a regular job, sell them on the side to make extra gravy, the wife doesn't have to work double shifts and there you go. While his wife was off one of those shifts since he was working, she could watch the kid. I am sure in the real life situation, there was a real reason why....but we are kind of left to make up our own minds about that.

And another poster brought up where are his parents? Doesn't he have ANY family that can help him out? He apparently has some good work ethics going here, so I doubt his family wrote him off for some reason, unless there's something the real Chris Gardner wanted to gloss over. Well, it appears to me to be glossed over and it's pretty glaring, so much so you can't ignore it.

I am glad I watched it, but it's not a movie I would really desire to own to watch again and again.

Brent_MN · 03-24-07, 11:34 AM

The family situation may have been something like I imagine happens to the homeless of America. I often think about that because it would NEVER happen to me. Heck, my great aunt in Vegas would even take me in.

It probably is a situation where you grew up with a single parent who was an only child whose parents have died, etc. See what I mean? You'd have no aunts and uncles, no siblings, no grandparents. That, or you totally shit on everyone and they don't care about you.

I think with Chris, it's the former. He seemed like too nice of a guy to be forsaken by his family.

Who knows; maybe it's in the book. Someone read it and get back to us!

calhoun07 · 03-25-07, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent_MN

I think with Chris, it's the former. He seemed like too nice of a guy to be forsaken by his family.

Well, he wrote it, so I am sure that's what he wants us to think!!!

Anubis2005X · 04-07-07, 01:27 AM

Saw this tonight, was one of the most painful movie experiences I've ever had. "Draining" is putting it lightly. Wife from Hell, whiny kid who can't act, and Will Smith dropping those damn machines all over the place and then running after them at various points in the film, all while making stupid decisions that screw him over. Got hit by car, well why'd you run in the street genius? Hippie stole your machine...you gave your machine to a freakin' hippie to look after?? Have no money, well get a freakin' side job while you intern...dahh!!!

EDIT: And another thing, all the parking tickets...with the eventual night in prison. Hey genius, find a real place to park near the hospitals! Arghhhhhhh!!!

01-01-07, 10:01 PM	#30
dpz301 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 1,857	i saw this the other day, and unfortunately, had to sit in the front section the theatre because every teenager and family was there because they had already seen night at the muesum. anyway, i enjoyed the film and as others said, i felt it was a little long. its another one of those films that you walk out and say, that was good and will smith did a great job, but i might not be too excited too see again. will's like boy is going to be a good actor if he keeps it up IMO. my girlfriend got the book for christmas, can't wait to hear all about it since i know everything that happens.... not! __________________ - zack the collection \| 500th DVD - Your Host, Walt Disney - Walt Disney Treasures

01-04-07, 08:04 PM	#31
harpo787 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: in the land of humidity Posts: 1,945	Thumbs up from me too. I had mentioned in the Rank 'em as you see 'em 2007 thread that it got 3 1/2 stars from me, but it was hard to say I "enjoyed" the film. Glad to see I'm not alone in this. I also agree with those who say that Will Smith did a damn fine job. __________________ July 8, 2003: RIP Stevie Ray "You can pick your friends, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't keep your eyes open while you're sneezing." -Weird Al My collection...more than I thought I'd ever have! (full collection not yet entered) Last edited by harpo787; 01-04-07 at 11:56 PM.

03-24-07, 12:56 AM	#33
calhoun07 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 12,798	I watched this tonight and I see a lot of great points here. Yes, it was draining. It's one bad fall after another for this guy. Geez, I felt like I was watching Children of Men all over again (in terms of nobody ever getting a freaking break!) I guess thinking about it I would have to say the characters weren't all that fleshed out to me. The real Chris Gardner had a lot of input on the script and it seems he wanted to keep true to the actual way things happened, but in doing that they really didn't explain to me WHY??? While he was married he could have taken a job at McDonald's or some other place to help make ends meet. He could have sold his machines part time....where was the rush to sell them if he could secure another job? They were paid for, so it wasn't like he had a quota to make. Get a regular job, sell them on the side to make extra gravy, the wife doesn't have to work double shifts and there you go. While his wife was off one of those shifts since he was working, she could watch the kid. I am sure in the real life situation, there was a real reason why....but we are kind of left to make up our own minds about that. And another poster brought up where are his parents? Doesn't he have ANY family that can help him out? He apparently has some good work ethics going here, so I doubt his family wrote him off for some reason, unless there's something the real Chris Gardner wanted to gloss over. Well, it appears to me to be glossed over and it's pretty glaring, so much so you can't ignore it. I am glad I watched it, but it's not a movie I would really desire to own to watch again and again. __________________ You can only please a woman with a dick made out of chocolate that ejaculates money.-Rhemus Windowless vans do NOT have candy, only rape.

12-30-06, 02:20 PM	#29
movieking DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 11,675	I thought that this movie was pretty good, but I definitely see how people could see it as draining. Since I am not a big Will Smith fan, and I thought that he was overrated in Ali, I wasn't particularly expecting much in this film, which is why I probably seem to have been pleasantly surprised by the movie whereas many others were disappointed.

02-12-07, 10:16 AM	#32
harrydoyle Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 687	I finally saw this movie last night. I liked it a lot, and I almost never like biopics. The thing that struck me though, and I was wondering if anyone else got this -- the movie I couldn't help thinking about while I was watching it was Kramer vs. Kramer. Did anyone else get this?

03-24-07, 11:34 AM	#34
Brent_MN DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: MN -> TX -> SoCal Posts: 1,592	The family situation may have been something like I imagine happens to the homeless of America. I often think about that because it would NEVER happen to me. Heck, my great aunt in Vegas would even take me in. It probably is a situation where you grew up with a single parent who was an only child whose parents have died, etc. See what I mean? You'd have no aunts and uncles, no siblings, no grandparents. That, or you totally shit on everyone and they don't care about you. I think with Chris, it's the former. He seemed like too nice of a guy to be forsaken by his family. Who knows; maybe it's in the book. Someone read it and get back to us!

04-07-07, 01:27 AM	#36
Anubis2005X DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,507	Saw this tonight, was one of the most painful movie experiences I've ever had. "Draining" is putting it lightly. Wife from Hell, whiny kid who can't act, and Will Smith dropping those damn machines all over the place and then running after them at various points in the film, all while making stupid decisions that screw him over. Got hit by car, well why'd you run in the street genius? Hippie stole your machine...you gave your machine to a freakin' hippie to look after?? Have no money, well get a freakin' side job while you intern...dahh!!! EDIT: And another thing, all the parking tickets...with the eventual night in prison. Hey genius, find a real place to park near the hospitals! Arghhhhhhh!!!