AmongtheinalienablerightspromisedinthepreambleoftheDeclarationofIndependence,happinessistheonlyonenotguaranteed.Wearetheoreticallyassuredoflifeandliberty,buthappinesswearelefttopursueonourown."ThePursuitofHappyness,"aroutinedomesticdramastarringWillSmith,isthestoryofoneman'sunwaveringpursuitforabetterlife(andpresumablyhappinesswithan"i")againstlongodds.

　　Themovieis"inspiredbyatruestory,"thatofChrisGardner,whowasamongSanFrancisco'sworkinghomelessintheearly'80sandmanagedtopullhimselfandhisyoungsonupbythebootstraps."Inspiredby"isaninterestingphrasebecausethemovieismoreinspiringthaninspired.Theman'sstrugglesareemotionallyengaging,butdramaticallyitlacksthelayeringofa"Kramervs.Kramer,"whichitsuperficiallyresembles.

　　Thisisamuchlower-keyperformancethanwe'reusedtoseeingfromSmith,andhepullsitoffadmirably.HeplaysthefictionalizedGardnerasanintelligent,energeticguywhocan'tcatchabreak.Infact,inthesluggishBayAreaeconomyof1981,he'slosingground.He'sinvestedhisfamily'smoneyinaloadofcutting-edgebone-densityscannersthat,unfortunatelyforhim,provideaslightlybetterimagethananX-rayattwicethecost.

　　Thoughthesubjectmatterisserious,thefilmitselfisratherslight,anditreliesontheactortogiveitanyenergy.Eveninamoremodestregister,Smithisaveryappealingleadingman,andhemakesGardner'splightcompelling.

　　Runningfromdoctor'sofficetohospitalpeddlinghisscanners,weseeChris'plentifulpeopleskillsatwork.Still,there'snotenoughmoneycomingin,andhiswife,Linda(ThandieNewton),who'sbeenworkingdoubleshiftsinalaundry,leaveshimtocarealonefortheir5-year-oldson,Christopher(playedbySmithandJadaPinkettSmith'sson,7-year-oldJadenChristopherSyreSmith).

　　Withhisfinancesatlessthanzero,Chrisembarksonanunpaidsix-monthinternshipattheendofwhichoneof20hopefulswilllandajobasastockbroker.Stayingonestepaheadofthetaxmanandmovingfromapartmenttomoteltosheltertosubwaystation,Chrisisamodelofpersistenceasheclingstohisdream.

　　Themosteffectiveaspectofthefilmistherelationshipbetweenfatherandson.It'salovestoryinthepurestsenseasChristriestoshieldChristopherfromthehardshipstheyface,andit'sinstanceslikethisthatmakesyouthinknepotismcanbeagoodthing.

　　TheyoungerSmith,whoreportedlyauditionedforthepart,isprecociousbutnotannoyinglyso.He'sinheritedhisparents'goodlooksandhasimpeccablecomictiming,enliveningthegloomierstretchesofthestory.

　　SteveConradwrotethescreenplayafterexecutiveproducerMarkClaymansawa"20/20"storyonthereal-lifeGardner,andhelittersthemovieGardner'spathwithnonstopobstacles,manyofwhicharesoimprobabletheymustbetrue.ItaliandirectorGabrieleMuccino(whosefilm"TheLastKiss"wasrecentlyremadewithZachBraff)keepsalowprofile,allowingtheSmithstocarrytheday.

　　"ThePursuitofHappyness"isanunexceptionalfilmwithexceptionalperformancesand,ifyou'recurious,takesitstitle'squirkyspellingfromamuraloutsideChristopher'sChinatownday-carecenter.Thereareworsewaystospendtheholidays,and,attheleast,itwilllikelymakeyouappreciateyourowncircumstances