The Pusuit of Happyness Movie Review

Based on a true story, The Pursuit of Happyness, focuses on the life of Chris Gardner and his young son Christopher Jr. after a bad financial idea leaves them broke and later homeless. Gardner lands a position as an intern for an investment company and has to struggle with supporting himself and his son while fighting with the other 19 candidates for the one paying job at the end of the internship.

          Gardner doesn’t have privilege in the film because he is a poor, black man who never got a college education. This makes it hard for him to get a job and support his family which is why his wife leaves him. This also makes his son screwed before he even begins but Gardner never lets him doubt his ability to make his future better.

          Throughout the film, Gardner focuses on trying to give all the attributes of access, agency, advocacy, and solidarity action to his son.  Gardner has to race from work every day just to have the chance to get into the homeless shelter so that he and his kid have a warm and safe place to sleep. Though his bankruptcy strips them of all their basic rights of shelter, and enough food and proper clothing, and safety, which subsequently makes their voices have less influence than others,  Gardner uses his brains and ingenuity to find a way out of his desperate situation and gives himself back his empowerment and makes his voice heard.

          When Gardner was a salesman, his contribution to society was not often appreciated or even welcomed, but because of his unwillingness to give in and because of his devotion to make his son had a chance in the world, he was able to land a position in a company that did. He encouraged his son to be anything he wanted and not to listen to those who would tell him that he couldn’t, and then he proved to him just how possible that was.

          This film did an excellent job of showing a perspective that is often viewed with scorn in this society and has a powerful message of overcoming the impossible and valuing everyone’s ability to contribute to the world. I can only stand back and marvel at the true story behind this film because I do not know what I would’ve been able to do in those circumstances.