Filed under: Movie Reviews
Will Smith’s latest Hollywood film, Seven Pounds, is his second collaboration with director Gabriele Muccino to create a powerful human drama. This two-hour film has more than a linear plot, creating a complexity of stories and characters that immerses the audience.
The presumptuousness of the director in this film has turned away many viewers, but for others has created a beautiful insight into the lost art of kindness.
- Will Smith and Rosario Dawson in Seven Pounds
Seven Pounds weaves external stories into its plot with ease. The plight of protagonist Ben Thomas (played by Smith) and the confusion surrounding his character is evident from the opening scene when he croaks, “In seven days God created the world and in seven seconds, I shattered mine.”
The audience is able to engross themselves in the growing love that forms between Emily Posa (played by Rosario Dawson) and Ben. Short scenes, edited with cuts to candles, rain and the anguish on their faces create an atmosphere of fragility around this secondary storyline.
During Seven Pounds, Will Smith again proves himself as one of Hollywood’s best actors. The 40 year-old has grown immensely since his trademark role as the elastic, fluoro and slapstick Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Smith creates layers to his audacious; charming; kind yet deeply troubled character, Ben. As widely hateable as Ben can be at times, Smith gives him true unforced emotion across his unshaven, lined face.
The relationship that slowly forms between the chronically ill Emily and Ben is nothing short of unrestricted and unquestioning. Their eventual love embraces the audience and leaves them wanting more. Their love is pure escapism for watchers. The stilted piano score that follows their love scenes is perfect in its uncomfortableness. The pianist trips over the keys to reach the next note and eclipses the fragility of their relationship.
Sometimes a dark and sombre film, Seven Pounds uses flash backs, light and shadow and its title to create a subtle reference to Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. As Ben tries to regain his sanity after killing seven people in a car accident, he sets out to dramatically transform seven individuals lives. The film is a beautiful reference to the complexity of human emotion and drama.
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