Seven Pounds

What it's about:

Ben Thomas (Will Smith) is a man at the end of his road. After suffering a mysterious setback in his life, he sets himself the task of helping several people as an act of atonement. As an auditor with the IRS, he is able to manipulate the lives of people who are in need of reprieve from their debts. His mission becomes complicated when he meets the desperately ill Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson) and falls in love, giving him new hope.


What we thought of it:

Seven Pounds is one of those movies where the plot twists and turns to such a degree that much of the enjoyment comes from watching the action play out, and even the simplest clues could spoil it. This makes any spoiler-free discussion of the movie difficult, as the story sits in a moral grey area, and is also unbelievably sad. Needless to say, Seven Pounds will move and surprise you.

This is Will Smith’s film from start to finish, and it reflects both his strengths and weaknesses. He gives a very powerful performance indeed, flitting between his smooth professional exterior and the heartbroken man who can no longer live with himself. There is no doubt that he will draw many people in, and Seven Pounds will ultimately be considered a feather in his cap, as many of his other roles don’t allow him to stretch his dramatic muscles and display his range.

The down side of this is everything else associated with Will Smith – how many happy-go-lucky characters has he played during his career? His face is far more synonymous with comedy or a snappy one-liner than it is with a meditation on despair, and often that gets in the way. He never reached the depths of misery I would associate with someone so far gone, and this lead me to think about his performance as a whole – being such a watchable screen presence, Smith makes onscreen depression far more accessible. But can a man who has suffered as much heartbreak and regret as Ben be able to smile as warmly or interact as easily with others as he does here?

The supporting cast do an admirable job – especially Woody Harrelson as the blind Ezra. His restraint contrasts brilliantly with Will Smith’s more flamboyant style, and their scenes together are excellent. Rosario Dawson is perhaps too pretty for someone worn out after a long illness, and too perfect as well. Here is a woman who is about to lose everything, but the rest of her life seemed to be leading towards some quirky sainthood rather than years full of heartache. The romantic scenes between her and Ben do tend to venture into corny territory, which doesn’t suit the tone of the movie.

Even though it is far from flawless, Seven Pounds is an entertaining movie, designed to tug at the heartstrings with all its might. So don’t forget to bring the tissues.