Pursuit of Happyness (Blu-ray) (2006) - Oscar® Nominee!

"...a genuinely transporting inspirational movie...  Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
"...[Smith gives] a beautiful and understated performance...  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
"I don't think I've seen a mainstream movie get fatherhood so right since "Kramer vs . Kramer"...  Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Editor's Note Will Smith is a father struggling to take care of his young son in this touching tale based on a true story. In San Francisco circa 1981, Chris Gardner's (Smith) luck has run out. A bad business investment, a bevy of parking tickets, and back taxes in addition to rent, childcare, and groceries keep him constantly scrambling for cash. Chris thinks his luck is changing when he is accepted into a highly competitive internship program at a brokerage firm. But the internship is unpaid and soon, despite his best efforts, Chris and his five-year old son, Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith--Will Smith's real life son), find themselves homeless. Chris might spend his days training to invest and make millions, but he and Christopher spend their nights in shelters and public transportation stations. Gardner's story is a testament not only to the love between a father and son, but also to the strength of the human spirit. Will Smith turns in a fine, nuanced performance as a man determined to protect his son and make a life for himself and his family. Jaden Smith is an adorable scene-stealer as young Christopher. The real-life father and son pairing translates well onto the big screen; the two have terrific natural chemistry. Their affection for each other is apparent, even as they weather the tough times. This is Italian director Gabriele Muccino's (THE LAST KISS, REMEMBER ME MY LOVE) first film in the English language. Thandie Newton also stars as Christopher's overworked and defeated mother in this tearjerker which was inspired by a segment on the television news program 20/20. Gardner also wrote a book of the same name that was released in 2006.

	Dan Castellaneta
	Jaden Smith
	Thandie Newton
	Will Smith
	Andrea Guerra - Original Music By
	David Alper - Executive Producer
	David F. Klassen - Art Director
	Gabriele Muccino - Director
	Hughes Winborne - Editor
	Phedon Papamichael - Cinematographer
	Steve Conrad - Writer
	Will Smith - Producer

Entertainment Weekly
"[Smith gives] a beautiful and understated performance, one that hums with a richer, quieter music than Smith has mustered before....[A] shrewdly touching movie..." -- Grade: B 12/15/2006 p.65

New York Times
"Both performances are certainly likable in the extreme..." 12/15/2006 p.E32

Rolling Stone
3 stars out of 4 -- "The role needs gravity, smarts, charm, humor and a soul that's not synthetic. Smith brings it.He's the real deal." 12/28/2006 p.120

Box Office
"Will Smith is an extremely charming performer....Smith is terrific as usual..." 02/01/2007 p.74

Sight and Sound
"[T]he film is a fully fledged message movie....Not since KRAMER VS. KRAMER has single fatherhood been so lovingly portrayed." 03/01/2007 p.72

Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "[The character's] true-life story -- enduring homelessness with hi young son while striving to become a stockbroker -- is genuinely heartening." 07/01/2007 p.126

Variety 7 of 10
The fact-inspired drama "The Pursuit of Happyness" is more inspirational than creatively inspired -- imbued with the kind of uplifting, afterschool-special qualities that can trigger a major toothache. Clearly savoring the chance to work alongside his moppet son, Will Smith is in serious mode as Chris Gardner, whose story is one of perseverance overcoming tremendous hardship. Smith's heartfelt performance is easy to admire...The younger Smith is allowed to deliver a natural, childlike performance, though occasionally Gabriele Muccino, the Italian helmer of "The Last Kiss" making his English-language debut, and writer Steven Conrad unhelpfully saddle the tot with big, chewy mouthfuls of dialogue. - Brian Lowry

DVD Talk 8 of 10
Stories of triumph over adversity are the foundation on which cinema was built. These are tales flush with uplift, sure to radiate an aura of good feelings to blanket the audience. "Pursuit of Happyness" (based on a true story) is not one to rock the boat in terms of mass entertainment expectations, but it isn't quite the sunny hand-holding experience it could've been either..."Pursuit of Happyness" is Will Smith's triumph, and it's worth a look alone to see this tiresome actor in a role that requires a rare amount of patience from him. The film has some difficulty satisfying other dramatic requirements, but Smith is the star here for a reason, and he alone maintains the picture's faith. - Brian Orndorf