The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness
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Name	The Pursuit of Happyness
Director	Gabriele Muccino
Producer	Will Smith, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, James Lassiter, Steve Tisch

The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film inspired by the life of Chris Gardner, a struggling single father who becomes homeless with his son Christopher Gardner Jr.. The film features Will Smith as Chris Gardner, alongside Jaden Smith as his son, and Thandie Newton as Linda Gardner, Chris Gardner's wife. The movie is set in San Francisco and features locations such as the New York Stock Exchange, Dean Witter Reynolds, and the Gladstone Institute of Art.

● Plot

The film tells the story of Chris Gardner, a medical equipment salesman who struggles to make ends meet and provide for his son Christopher Gardner Jr. after his wife Linda Gardner leaves him. Chris Gardner becomes determined to build a better life for himself and his son, and he applies for an internship at Dean Witter Reynolds, a prestigious stock brokerage firm, where he hopes to become a stockbroker and work with Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and other top firms. Along the way, he faces numerous challenges, including homelessness, and is forced to rely on the support of Glide Memorial Church and other organizations. Meanwhile, Chris Gardner's relationship with his son is put to the test as he tries to balance his responsibilities as a father with his pursuit of a better life, inspired by the likes of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and other American icons.

● Production

The film was directed by Gabriele Muccino and produced by Will Smith, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, James Lassiter, and Steve Tisch, in association with Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media, and Overbrook Entertainment. The screenplay was written by Steven Conrad, based on the memoir of the same name by Chris Gardner, which was published by Amistad Press and received praise from Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and other notable figures. The film features a soundtrack by Andrea Guerra, with contributions from Alicia Keys, John Legend, and other artists, and was edited by Hughes Winborne, who has worked on films like Chicago, The Terminal, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

● Cast

The film features a talented cast, including Will Smith as Chris Gardner, Jaden Smith as Christopher Gardner Jr., and Thandie Newton as Linda Gardner. The cast also includes Dan Castellaneta as Alan Frakesh, a stockbroker at Dean Witter Reynolds, and Brian Howe as Jay Twistle, a manager at the firm, who has worked with companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Google. The film also features appearances by James Karen as Martin Frohm, a stockbroker who becomes a mentor to Chris Gardner, and David Michael Silverman as Wayne Garfield, a rival stockbroker, who has worked with Bloomberg L.P., Reuters, and other financial institutions.

● Release

The film was released in the United States on December 15, 2006, by Columbia Pictures, and was distributed in other countries by Sony Pictures Releasing, Warner Bros. Pictures, and other companies. The film premiered at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, and was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, and other film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on March 27, 2007, and has since become a classic, widely available on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

● Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for the performances of Will Smith and Jaden Smith, as well as the direction of Gabriele Muccino and the screenplay by Steven Conrad. The film holds a 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from critics like Roger Ebert, Peter Travers, and Owen Gleiberman, who have written for publications like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Variety. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $163 million at the box office worldwide, and has since become a beloved classic, inspiring films like The Social Network, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Joy, which have been produced by companies like Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and 20th Century Fox.

● Historical_context

The film is set in the early 1980s, a time of great economic change and social upheaval in the United States, marked by events like the 1980 United States presidential election, the Iran hostage crisis, and the 1981 United States air traffic controllers' strike. The film touches on themes of poverty, homelessness, and the struggles of single parents, which were prevalent during this time period, and were addressed by organizations like the United Way, the Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross. The film also explores the world of finance and stock trading, which was rapidly changing during the 1980s, with the rise of companies like Microsoft, Apple Inc., and IBM, and the introduction of new technologies like the personal computer and the internet. The film's portrayal of Chris Gardner's struggles and triumphs has been praised for its accuracy and sensitivity, and has been recognized by organizations like the National Association of Social Workers, the American Psychological Association, and the National Coalition for the Homeless.