The Pursuit of Happyness

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: December 15, 2006

7.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 401 Ratings

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User Reviews

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IssacDec 20, 2006

Too depressing for words and totally unrealistic. Will's real life son is a natural born ham as he steals the show.

1 of 2 users found this helpful

DarrylD.Dec 20, 2006

He starts smiling when he gets the job. Doesn't he know his life just ended? Will's subliminal message is "get white". This movie is shamed by "My brother's keeper", about ten years ago, where the real currency is between He starts smiling when he gets the job. Doesn't he know his life just ended? Will's subliminal message is "get white". This movie is shamed by "My brother's keeper", about ten years ago, where the real currency is between family who love each other and forego materialism. The information about how he sold his share of a business for a million dollars make me sick to my stomach.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

AgnesDec 16, 2006

I have to disagree with Mitch as it shows America's preoccupation only with itself and cares nothing for the less fortunate people of our wonderful country. Instead of focussing on just Will Smith take a look around at all the I have to disagree with Mitch as it shows America's preoccupation only with itself and cares nothing for the less fortunate people of our wonderful country. Instead of focussing on just Will Smith take a look around at all the impoverished people with no chance of climbing the ladder to success. As for the story itself there is no joy just a paradox of a confused man taking a job without pay at the cost of his marriage and the welfare of his son. It predictably turns out okay but it is ridiculous to even suggest that a trainee would be allowed to call on a CEO without the account being turned over to a Senior Executive. All these trainees do is cold call for the existing stockbroker, a fact that was not even mentioned in this depressing exaggerated movie. Yes, its a real tear jerker without even giving the audience a glimpse of the HappYness that is to come after getting the job. Not my cup of tea at all. Avoid.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

stuartDec 17, 2006

Money = happiness bull. Nice TV movie - hollow, pleasant enough, good acting. But the entire movie has no basis in reality. More capitalistic propaganda. Sorry not worth the time.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SidiotDec 17, 2006

Will Smith is a great likeable actor. In this fick his real life son makes his acting debut and you will love him to pieces. But this alone does not make a good movie. To the contrary, it is moronic film, very ameteurish, and not even Will Smith is a great likeable actor. In this fick his real life son makes his acting debut and you will love him to pieces. But this alone does not make a good movie. To the contrary, it is moronic film, very ameteurish, and not even believable. Will Smith shows poor judgment time and time again. He uses his life savings to buy and then resell medical equipment which is overpriced and outdated. The only characters of note are his angry wife, adorable son and the token rich white people whose characters are never developed except that they smile a lot and take their money for granted. The black community is a poor downtrodden group that is totally dependent on hand outs for their very survival. Will Smith gets a vapor lock and decides that he wants to apply for a one in 20 trainee job at Dean Witter. He has no formal college education and his sales expeience and investment advice is already on display as being very poor with his X-ray machine. For the next two hours he has snow shoveled on him from every conceivable angle until it consumes him in an avalanche. This movie is as depressing as can be and never explains why anyone would take a trainee job that doesn't guarantee a position and does not offer any type of compensation. A normal human being in Will Smith's position would never accept the job at the cost of his marriage or the safety of his family but that is exactly what he does. It portrays the nice folks at Dean Witter as rich buffoons who care nothing about others. Would anyone in human resources offer a trainee job without pay to a non college graduate without sales experience and no way to pay his bills? Would Dean Witter let a cold calling trainee go see a CEO of a major pension fund without a Senior Executive? Better yet would a CEO buy from a trainee without any experience or clientele in the first place? But this is some of the hogwash they try to push down the viewers the throat and some of you by your reviews buy into this dribble without even using the brain in your head. As for the predictable ending it is a huge letdown. Quite frankly this is terribly written and directed even if it is partially based on a true story.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KingChadDec 17, 2006

Two hours of mind blowing can you dump on me even more PLEASE. So Hollywood! It was so boring and depressing as we never even got to know the characters and the plot is too ridiculous to take seriously. Will was real smart to sell outdated Two hours of mind blowing can you dump on me even more PLEASE. So Hollywood! It was so boring and depressing as we never even got to know the characters and the plot is too ridiculous to take seriously. Will was real smart to sell outdated and expensive medical equipment that he has no formal training in and then takes a non paying trainee job in a market where only 5% succeed while he throws his hardworking wife under the bus. Gee, she must have been very bad to leave a loser like Will. Yes, Will you were very smart indeed to scar your wife and children for life. Give me a break.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

HolidayJan 2, 2007

Please spare me this story had more holes than swiss cheese. Are we to believe that he sacrificed his wife, endangered his child and took a job without any compensation with his chance of success being less than 1%? If you believe that I Please spare me this story had more holes than swiss cheese. Are we to believe that he sacrificed his wife, endangered his child and took a job without any compensation with his chance of success being less than 1%? If you believe that I have a bridge I would like to sell you. And his employer is portrayed as insensitive biggots. And do you think that a major financial institution would let a trainee/cold caller go see a very successful pension fund manager alone? Do you think that pension fund manager would even consider meeting with a trainee? Try using your brain instead of the garbage that Hollywood shoves down your throat. This is an awful film in which white is rich and happy and black is poor and downtrodden. And where were his friends and family to offer support financial or otherwise. This film was offensive.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

LaughingStockDec 19, 2006

Purusit of the almighty buck might be more like it. This is a poor movie with cliches at every corner. The character Will Smith had spunk but lacked brains or common sense. When you disect the glitter all that remains is a very poor script Purusit of the almighty buck might be more like it. This is a poor movie with cliches at every corner. The character Will Smith had spunk but lacked brains or common sense. When you disect the glitter all that remains is a very poor script that is depressing and lacks reality or humanity. Avoid.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

AaronDec 15, 2006

predictable story about how much garbage you can eat without complaining. The ending was sadly lacking and there were no character development to explain the lack of family and friends. To be a successful stock broker you have to have onepredictable story about how much garbage you can eat without complaining. The ending was sadly lacking and there were no character development to explain the lack of family and friends. To be a successful stock broker you have to have one part used car salesmen and two parts attorney in you. Will Smith had neither.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

ChuckU.BastardJan 31, 2007

I don't even need to see this dreck to know that is another piece of Puritan work-ethic, unchecked capitalistic, bootstrap crap. How come nobody ever heard of this "real" person until the movie was released? Probably because he was I don't even need to see this dreck to know that is another piece of Puritan work-ethic, unchecked capitalistic, bootstrap crap. How come nobody ever heard of this "real" person until the movie was released? Probably because he was fabricated for the movie's publicity. In other words, he never truly existed and still does not truly exist! It's just like that awful mess, "Erin Brockovich." I mean, who ever heard of this broad before the movie? But, ta-da, when the movie is out, we all hear and see the "real" Brockovich, bosoms and all, on the news shows. The suit was most likely filed by the head of a multi-million law firm, and the secretary he was having an affair with got the credit and money to shut her up. That is the least astonishing conclusion. So I won't get sued for libel, this is my opinion, not proven fact. Unfortunately, I saw "Crock-O-Bitch"; I will not make the same mistake with "Pursuit of Crappyness."… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

HassanDec 16, 2006

Just the same boring scene repeated over and over. We all know how it's going to end so why not explain the characters? Where are the friends and family. How do coworkers not understand the gravity of the situation and offer to help? Just the same boring scene repeated over and over. We all know how it's going to end so why not explain the characters? Where are the friends and family. How do coworkers not understand the gravity of the situation and offer to help? Who would invest money in a trainee without knowing the relationship will grow? The entire movie is preposterous from beginning to end. Awful!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful

helenm.Dec 21, 2006

All down, down, down, down -- goes on too long with such agony. Not sure the when the man got the job that he actually won. Too depressing.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

MichaelF.Dec 17, 2007

This was possibly the worst film I've seen. The entire movie is a montage of Will Smith running from place to place and snapping at people. We never get to see how he succeeds in his internship or the ways in which he works harder than This was possibly the worst film I've seen. The entire movie is a montage of Will Smith running from place to place and snapping at people. We never get to see how he succeeds in his internship or the ways in which he works harder than the others around him. Every remotely compelling part of this film is shown in the previews. People seem to have made up their minds about loving this movie before taking the time to actually watch it. Long, boring and tortuous.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

finnigan37Feb 22, 2013

This piece of junk edged out Babel as the worst film I saw in 2006, and stands firm as maybe the worst film I have ever seen. Definitely top five. The entire over-long endeavor essentially presents scene after scene of Will Smith running,This piece of junk edged out Babel as the worst film I saw in 2006, and stands firm as maybe the worst film I have ever seen. Definitely top five. The entire over-long endeavor essentially presents scene after scene of Will Smith running, being a jerk to people, running some more, riding busses, disobeying pedestrian traffic laws, sitting down, laying down, running, etc., etc. If you like this film you just have horrible taste. I can reach no other conclusion.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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