Seven Pounds (2.5/5)

Will Smith had teamed up with director Gabriele Muccino to make a true-life based, feel-good film - The Pursuit of Happyness.The movie grossed USD 300 million worldwide and is a cult "Feel Good" movie. The pair now teams up to dish out another offering - Seven Pounds (set to release on Valentine eve- yes it is a Movie on Love)

Will Smith (essays Tim Thomas)- an IRS Agent (??) who wants to give Seven unknown people some amazing gifts- which will change their life for ever. However, he first need's to know if these seven people deserve his generosity- and here starts the Saga of Seven Pounds. The movie starts with an intention to confuse you, you start to ask - what is happening? who is that guy? what is he talking about ?yeh kya ho raha hai bhai?. This is now a very common Hollywood style of film making, which takes you into a whirl of confusion and if you shut up, and pay attention - you will see the story unfolding.

So I focused and kept watching- and lo behold, I saw many characters being introduced, the amazing Woody Harrelson (as the blind call centre employee), Michael Ealy (as Tim's Brother), Barry Pepper (as Tim's best freind) and Rosario Dawson (as Emily Posa- Tim's love (?) interest)

Everyone plays their short roles to perfection. The director uses a series of emotions and tries to engulf the viewer in a maze of feelings. He succeeds to an extent - only because of the performances of Will Smith and Rosario Dawson - you would probably remember her from Eagle Eye, Sin City and Grind House - if you do not . .its not your fault- she has never been this main stream. In Seven Pounds she gives a performance of her life- potraying a very fragile and vulnerable lady- you almost want to reach out to her and help her yourself. Amazing performances and great chemistry between the lead actors.

Will bhaiji . .has a different expression throughout the movie- his sorrowful eyes convey dead emotion and very trapped feeling. His performance his honest and he conveys the guilt, and the pain stemming from this guilt with total conviction. However the point to be noted is that -thou can relate to his super performance, but not his role -- - - -this is where the problem is.

The movie has a wafer thin story line and I kinda feel cheated after watching the movie, probably cause I expected a strong story line. I could relate to the performance - but not the story, maybe because I have never lived through the tragic life of Tim Thomas. But that does not negate the emotional manipulation the script aims to take you through. The romance of two people was rather sweet, but what happens next felt odd . .infact it bordered on bizarre. The climax does not help either, it seems very silly - at the end of it I was asking myself " Why the F*** did he do that?

Anyways the unquestionable strength of the movie is the acting. The director tries his level best - to breathe life into a dead, thin script. Any other director would have failed miserably- but Gabriele Muccino does an expectedly good job. There are some amazing magic moments in the movie, performed with panache. Sorry to say - but the satisfaction and end elation you got from watching "The Pursuit of Happyness"- you will miss in this movie. Maybe the Valentine effect will cloud your judgment and you may love the movie for all its worth.

But for now I will leave this movie with a 2.5 star out of 5 and you with a great suggestion: Leave your head outside the theater and watch the movie strictly - with your heart. . . ..dil de diya hai . .jaan tumhe denge .. . .

P.S -I want to get myself a jelly fish tank - looks really great.