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Seven Pounds (2008)

Director: Gabriele Muccino

Time Out rating

Average user rating

94 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

It’s a distinctly frazzled Will Smith we see at the start of this teasing drama. Calling emergency services, he looks on his last legs, before we cut back to trace what brought him to this point of no return. It’s then we meet mean Will Smith, an IRS agent seemingly specialising in pursuing the disadvantaged, such as Woody Harrelson’s blind piano teacher and Rosario Dawson’s stationery designer with a heart condition. Still, a bit curious that Smith’s living in a cheap motel all the while, since intercut moments suggest a family life somewhere in the past. What can it all mean?

Actually, the film’s distributors have us sworn to secrecy, but chances are that if we did spill the beans, you wouldn’t believe us. It’s totally bonkers. Kudos though to director Gabriele Muccino (who previously helmed the rather grittier Smith entry ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’) for drip-feeding us towards the big reveal with no little style, turning out a movie that’s seductively lithe and sheeny, giving every impression of in-the-moment gravitas… rather like a superior car advert. Smith does enough here to suggest that he’s pushing at the edges of his goody-goody image, while Dawson works wonders in a role so thankless it should have its own awards category.

However, all concerned are mere pawns in thrall to a central conceit that sails beyond mere sentiment to encapsulate the surreal. It’s not what you’d call any good, but Claude Lelouch fans, say, might relish its grandiose romantic gestures in the face of all known logic.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 2004, 15-21 Jan, 2009

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User reviews of this film

Sinead said...

Posted on Jan 23 2012 10:43 This film is absoloutley classic, I am currently studying english litreture and our current task is to produce a film review on a film of our choice.. so of course I chose this and of course I believe i am going to get an A* BECAUSE THIS FILM IS AN a) PIECE OF WORK.. THANKYOU GABRIELE MUCCINO AND WILL SMITH (FIT AS FUCK BTW)

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EW said...

Posted on Jun 14 2010 22:25 Had the most emotional reaction I've had to a film in years - I think that means it's good. Stuff the supposed critics - they clearly don't connect with what makes the rest of us tick.

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Amanda said...

Posted on May 01 2010 22:34 In myhumble opinion, this review is an ignorant uneducated person who doesn't know a good movie-maybe you should quit your criticism blog and go back to the trailerpark, thanks

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Danni said...

Posted on Mar 07 2010 03:25 Will smith is one of the greatest actors in the world.
Alongside that, the storyline kept me in the dark until right at the end. I had no idea on what he was doing right until it showed you.
It gave me such a shock, and I was really impressed.
A truly original film, and I would recommend it.
:)

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Laura said...

Posted on Feb 06 2010 21:45 Lovely film, deeper perhaps than Mr Johnston Reviewer is capable of understanding... Shylock, Merchant of Venice, pound of flesh.... ring any bells? And yes you do need a heart to enjoy....

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Antria18 said...

Posted on Dec 02 2009 00:25 I've just seen it.. I really liked it. Will Smith is a great actor and this was a great performance..
The ending was horrible and surreal though.

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MH said...

Posted on Aug 10 2009 09:53 cs said...
Posted on Aug 08 2009 09:36
Loved it. Really surprised by the number of negative reviews here - hearts of stone?
Or a question of taste perhaps? Pleased you loved it but be equally pleased for those that didn't.

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cs said...

Posted on Aug 08 2009 09:36 Loved it. Really surprised by the number of negative reviews here - hearts of stone?

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John Cooper said...

Posted on Jul 07 2009 00:04 A film with noble intentions but which cannot escape
the charges of ignoble indulgence and morbid sentimentalism.
Most viewers will see the `surprise ending` coming only
way before the end. The acting, though commendable
cannot save this film . .. .which tries to keep the viewer
interested for almost 2 hours with a thematic conceit
that , although original , cannot properly be called `plot`. One hates to label the good intentions of this film
as `boring` but I'm afraid we don't go to the cinema to
suffer vicariously in this way. Definitely not a first date
movie . . . . ..

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blib said...

Posted on Jun 01 2009 07:53 Yes yazzy and you are an illiterate moron

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blib said...

Posted on May 31 2009 08:20 Film was awful. Watched it inflight to L.A. and at one point wished we'd crash.

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blib said...

Posted on May 31 2009 08:18 Ann Bsc Hmmmmmmm it's "WOULD HAVE" not "WOULD OF"

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hemal said...

Posted on Apr 13 2009 12:46 2 sh** 2 watch, no pint in making the bloody film. Pathetic!

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MediaSpeye said...

Posted on Mar 01 2009 10:39 It took a long while for me to understand what was going on and my focus did waver. But, I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. I'm a Will Smith fan and I like to see that he can do a range of work as an actor and not just the comedy or action roles. It was touching, poignant and beautiful film for an actor of his age. Does he always have to be running, flying, jumping, or dodging robots and aliens to keep fans and critics happy? Should he just do a jigga dance, black up and be done? Get used to it as I think the action movie scripts are probably going to be less of a attraction to Will.

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raven77 said...

Posted on Feb 18 2009 11:42 I personally LOVED the movie... I loved the fact I didn't know what the hell was going on, right up until the end..
Oh and I don't understand people who try to make other people believe that it was a great movie.. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.. people have different tastes, you can't make someone like something... :)

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