BEFORE: Will Smith carries over from "Six Degrees of Separation". Like "The Terminal" and "Six Degrees", this is also based on a true story.
THE PLOT: A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor.
AFTER: This one spoke to me a little more than "Six Degrees of Separation" did, because I think I understand some of the points it was trying to make about how hard it is to get ahead. If you're stuck in a job that seems to be going nowhere, how do you get out of it? You can't just quit, because then you won't be making any money. But since you have a job, you don't have time to look for a better job - unless you slack off from your job to do so. And forget going back to school for the same reason - how can you afford the tuition if you quit your job to free up the time to take classes?
This is sort of why I've been stuck in the same place for so long. The process of filmmaking got all high-tech and digital, so if I really wanted to get back into production, I'd probably have to go back to class. But where would I find the time? I've got something of a cushion, but I might go through it pretty quick if I had no income. Meanwhile, there's always more administrative work to do at both companies, so I never get the break I need to think about what other things I might like to be doing.
This is why I've pinned my hopes on a game show, because it could put me really ahead of the game, and I could take 6 months off, clear my brain and not have to look for work right away. The American dream, right? It seems somewhat more rational than the longshots taken by the main character in this film - he's counting on being the ONE intern at a financial firm chosen for permanent employment, and this means he's got to support his son for 6 months of training with no salary. This means living in temporary housing like motels and shelters, and some other more questionable choices.
This seems somewhat irresponsible, since the guy is putting his son at risk so that he can pursue his own personal dream. I think the majority of parents would probably sacrifice their dreams and stay in the dead-end job as long as that helped support their kids - however in some cases this obviously leads to resentment. So there you go - not everyone would make these choices, but it's based on the story of a man who did. But even if it paid off for him, how many people have a similar story of chasing their dream that didn't pay off?
After all, our country's citizens are entitled to the PURSUIT of happiness. Everyone's free to pursue it, but that's no guarantee that everyone, or anyone can achieve it. Damn loopholes!
Also starring Jaden Smith (last seen in "The Day the Earth Stood Still"), Thandie Newton (last seen in "The Chronicles of Riddick"), Brian Howe (last seen in "Game Change"), Dan Castellaneta (last seen in "Super 8"), Kurt Fuller.
RATING: 6 out of 10 parking tickets
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