and and a such and it follow the basic guideline of the arduous journey from misery to happiness . this type of formula be typically very thankful to translate to film and easy to make and ready to be milk for sentimentality for all it worth and which director gabriele muccino dutifully do . that be not to say the pursuit of happiness do not deliver what it set out to do and for it wholeheartedly do and then some . base on a true story and the pursuit of one man to reach the american dream in san francisco in 1981 tell the cloy story of chris gardner ( will smith ) and his son ( jaden smith ) living in shelter and spend night on paper towel in run down and seedy public bathroom and generally suffer daily hardship by the bucketload . chris be a good man and but his wife ( thandie newton ) can not cope with his empty promise and economic struggle and so she split and take off to new york city . now chris be leave with their five year old son and an unpaid internship at a prestigious stockbroker firm . you will be press to find a more likable character in film this year and and will smith play him until your heart really break for him . but in my opinion and this be no breakout epiphany role for will smith . the truth be that he have always be a strongly capable actor and although it be of course usually within the comedy field . in the comic moment of the film ( and there be definitely quite a few ) and his funny bone translate excellently . in the drama side of the tapestry and he perform well enough but it be a thankful and reward character to portray and much like the pursuit be a thankful and reward film to make owe to it underdog formula . it be and in this way and the type of film that safely elicit a few tear and chuckle and smile but ultimately offer no revolutionary insight or social commentary in the way that the great gatsby aptly address the fickleness and simultaneous necessity of the american dream . the real treat be possibly jaden smith a little christopher and and it become apparent that either the smith have groom this kid for low key and understated acting from a young age or that he be a true natural talent or both . perhaps his performance be nothing mind blowing and but it be so rare for child actor to perform this subtly . usually they fall prey to desperately cutesy or annoy antic and but jaden smith do not . simpson staple dan castellaneta also chip in aptly a a mentor at work of sort . if i have be too unclear or critical so far and let me say that i enjoy this film immensely a a diversion . this do not change the fact that it be traffic too heavily in stereotype and hallmark staple such a don not ever let anybody tell you that you can not do something ( yes and will smith actually say this at one point ) or that it rigorously rub chris misery in our face in every step of the way and even though we clearly get the gist of his miserable condition early on in the film . it almost shamelessly cue viewer in to feel by unpaid park ticket and tax and homelessness and a leave wife to top it off . the fact be that the film expertly camouflage most of it shortcoming and the end result be even and solid and compelling . the pursuit of happiness emerges a a safe but inspirational tale that be undeniably readily mold for both public praise and oscar buzz . it be difficult not to like a film like this and and the pursuit be no exception at all . positive .