Seven Pounds (Sony Pictures)
Will Smiths Performance Is Worth Its Weight In Gold
Ever so often Will Smith has to remind us all of what a solid actor he is. We take him for granted when he makes movies like Hancock so it takes a Seven Pounds or an Ali to give Hollywood a wake up call that he is King of the box office and an acting force to be reckoned with. If you doubt this then view Seven Pounds and imagine any other actor pulling this role off with the ease and dramatic force Smith did.
Seven Pounds is a movie that is full of twists, turns and surprises. It is enough to say that Ben Thomas (Smith) lets his life get intertwined with seven different people. His impact on each of them is life changing and they in turn help bring peace to him.
One of the people he connects with is Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson). She has a heart defect and is moving towards needing a heart donor. Ben shows her compassion and understanding at a time when she needs it most.
The relationship between Ben and Emily is the cornerstone of the film and the two actors bring this relationship to life. They are very comfortable around each other and the performance of one heightens the performance of the other.
The heart of the movie is Will Smiths performance. Ben Thomas is a man in torment and Smith lets you feel every ache in his heart. Most of the acting is done through Smiths eyes. Rarely, if ever, have I seen so much pain and darkness in an actors eyes. Smiths are loaded with misery as he brings Thomas story to life. It is an amazing performance and one that should be recognized with awards.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and adult content.
Seven Pounds is not a movie that will send you out of the theater with a smile on your face, and many will not want to view such a depressing film during the holiday season. Still for those who appreciate good acting and an intriguing storyline this is a movie to watch.
Will Smith reestablishes his acting credentials with this role. He is everything this movie needs to touch your heart and soul. If you can handle the melodrama and pathos then you ought to enjoy watching and weeping over Seven Pounds.
I scored Seven Pounds a weighty 7 out of 10.
