SEVEN POUNDS (A-)
I skipped Seven Pounds to go see a piece of garbage, AKA The Spirit. I am disappointed that I decided to see one of the worst films of 2008, instead of seeing one of the best. This film was good from the ground up, starting with fantastic acting from the two lead roles. This movie made you curious from the first scene, and kept you interested the entire film. I would recommend this film to anyone who is a true "movie buff", likes great dialogue, or loves Will Smith.
A synopsis cannot really be given without giving too much away, so I'll divulge a little, and just suggest you see it. The film begins with the audience following around Will Smith on various errands and meetings. From the beginning the viewers are asking many questions about Will Smith's murky character. Why is he following certain strangers around? How is he going to dramatically change peoples lives? Why does his character seem strange and distant from the world? These are just some of the questions that are brought to our attention immediately, keeping my attention for desire to obtain these answers. The suspense from these questions is in part to the films superb direction from Gabriele Muccino.
The script was better than average, but not amazing. This film is build strongly from the two amazing performances from Dawson and Smith, and great acting by the supporting cast. I will have to say that Rosario Dawson's portrayal of a dying woman Emily is one of the best I have seen in awhile. Dawson is very lovable, down to earth, and will pull at your heartstrings with her dilemma. Most importantly is the development of Smith's character Ben. He starts off very one dimensional, hard to read, and seemingly emotionless.
As the film unravels we see many layers of Ben's life and the layout of his ultimate plan. Our two lead roles also have very good chemistry together, and make the film that much more enjoyable. Like any film, you need a good ending to finish it all off. All the weaving of plots and subplots come together very nicely in the end, leaving all questions answered. I don't really see how this film could have been any better, and recommend you see it. I must conclude this review by stating that Kyle Goodson is a RETaRD...he said Seven Pounds was terrible. (and thought THE SPIRIT WAS GOOD!!) Anyone with thoughts on that is free to make comments or financial contributions to buy this kid a padded HELMET!
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