The Pursuit of Happiness Essay Example for Free

The Pursuit of Happiness Essay The 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness, featuring will smith and real-life son Jaden Smith received significant financial success both during its original release and subsequent DVD edition. Inspired by the memoirs by self-made millionaire Chris Gardner together with Quincy Troupe, the film features the challenges of pursing the â€Å"American dream†, a challenge more easily associated with foreigners or immigrants to the country. The inspirational value of the movie is one of the reasons for its appeal. In the story, Gardner is portrayed as having employment is al subject to the social change faced by the unemployed. Though the premise of the story is not unique, the films approach illustrating how the collective impact of small social challenges can lead to homelessness highlights the concern of the spiraling social exclusion most middle class Americans have to deal with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gardner’s joke to his son regarding the drowning man who turned down the rescue of two boats in favor of waiting for God himself to save him is a testimony to the philosophy that he believes was key to his success. Similar to the adage that God helps those who help themselves, Gardner points out that one should not be so proud as to accept the help of others even if they do not compare to one’s expectation of the help that one needs. Moreover, Gardner’s story to his son encourages him to see the hand of God behind the opportunities, good and bad that comes his way going beyond corporeal or mystical manifestations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are key moments in the film where this can be most apparent. One of the early moments where this is seen is when he asks a man going out of a Ferrari what he did for a living and how he did it. The encounter, in real life with then top stockbroker Bob Bridges, led to Gardner’s introduction to a career in stock trading. Gardner again illustrates this idea in his interview with the internship position where he had to convince the panel to accept him though he came underdressed to the interview. Another example is portrayed in the daily rush father and son would always have to make at the end of the day to be able to get s a lot in the church shelter as well as the times when he sought â€Å"creative† ways of finding a place to spend the night in with his son which included railway station bathroom, subways and busses. The other scene that brings the deliver the same message was when the light of the bone density machine was being repaired by Gardner. But the most poignant illustrations of the philosophy behind Gardner’s quip are delivered by the conversations between father and son such as in Gardner’s lecture to his son regarding pursuing one’s dream despite others’ negative opinion viewing the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At many points in the picture, Gardner is portrayed as someone who is driven to the edge but is able to keep himself from totally falling into despair. His moments of self-pride in the movie are always resolved to have negative consequences such as having to run from a taxi driver and missing a slot in the shelter due to lending his boss cab fare. Often he is shown to have to swallow his pride to seek shelter or care but remains committed to alleviating his situation with his son as best he can and to not be dependent on welfare or the charity of others. Gardner’s view of helping one’s self emphasizes self-reliance but also self-realization. He points out that to be able to triumph from challenges: one has to be able to commit one’s self on doing so and pursuing every opportunity that comes. This implies the need to actively seek ways to accomplish such an objective, improving one’s self and learning from others and to persist regardless of failure. Work Cited The Pursuit of Happyness. Dir. Gabriele Muccino. Perf. Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton. Sony Pictures. 15 December 2006.