Film Reviews

Seven Pounds

• Rating:
• Director: Gabriele Muccino
• Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson
• Details: US / 118mins / (12A)

Will Smith does 'sombre' again, as he reteams with his Pursuit of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino for this heavy-handed drama that boasts fine performances but forceful direction. Smith is ambiguous do-gooder Ben, an IRS Agent who’s investigating several clients, when he begins to possess an empathetic streak that’s out-of-character for his occupation. Soon, his motivation for these random acts of kindness becomes clear when he meets Rosario Dawson's heart transplant patient Emily, and promptly falls for her. He's then led to question the path he has chosen, as their meeting throws his previously set-in-stone plans completely out of synch. Often nowhere near as thoughtful or spiritual as it thinks it is, Seven Pounds is packed to the brim with sentiment, overly ponderous visuals and poorly-articulated metaphors. On occasion, though, it does manage to involve the viewer; the scenes with Smith and Dawson, in particular, are very nicely played by both stars, with Dawson feeling him out for motivations and Smith trying desperately not to fall for her. This is predominantly where the film's strengths lie, and all of Ben's other issues take a back seat - which can make the film feel uneven, at points. Subtlety is also rarely on show, with Emily pointing out that her Great Dane has a dodgy ticker too - almost provoking a dry heaving of epic proportions. Hey, who'd take care of the dog if she bought the farm, and vice-versa!? And if she's so damned lovely, where are all of her friends? Also, Barry Pepper turns up sporadically to cry, and Woody Harrleson to be a nice blind man - both without any real explanation until the square pegs finally fit into the round holes, after much hammering. Proceedings take a predictable twist as the film hurtles towards it inevitable 'cry-or-die' conclusion, which is a fine showcase for Smith's ability as a genuinely talented leading man - but not Muccino's as a helmer. Let's just saying running and rain are involved. In spite of all of this, however, you'd have to be the type of cynic who finds recently-crippled puppies unfortunate (rather than sad) not to be taken in by the whole thing. A deeply flawed film, but one that packs just enough of the right kind of emotional punch to warrant a gander.

Review by Mike Sheridan