Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Pursuit of Happyness
2006
***
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton, Brian Howe, Dan Castellaneta

Will Smith gives a fine performance as a struggling salesman and single father who accepts an unpaid internship in a brokerage firm, knowing that he's unlikely to turn it into a lucrative job. This is a typically inspirational tale of overcoming adversity with resilience and striving for the American Dream, but it also offers some frank portrayal of poverty. The story is set in the early 1980s and it's based on Chris Gardner's memoir (co-written with Quincy Troup).