The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
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A struggling salesman must overcome homelessness and financial ruin to secure a career in stockbroking while caring for his young son.
The story
In 1981, San Francisco salesman Chris Gardner invests his life savings in portable bone-density scanners, but the resulting financial instability strains his marriage and his ability to provide for his young son, Christopher Jr. After a chance encounter leads him to a potential internship at a prestigious brokerage firm, Chris faces a series of escalating hardships. He must navigate the challenges of being a single parent while facing eviction and homelessness, all while attempting to secure a coveted position in the competitive world of stockbroking.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1981, San Francisco salesman Chris Gardner invests his life savings in portable bone-density scanners. While he manages to sell some, the financial strain causes his wife, Linda, to leave him and their son, Christopher Jr. Gardner secures a six-month unpaid internship at Dean Witter, competing against 19 others for a single paid position. During this time, he faces eviction, a stint in jail for unpaid tickets, and eventually loses his home, becoming homeless with his son. He survives by staying in shelters and a subway station, while secretly working to improve his sales efficiency and studying for his license. He eventually wins the full-time position and forms a successful brokerage firm, eventually becoming a multi-millionaire.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 117
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gabriele Muccino
- Writers
- Steven Conrad · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Will Smith · Chris Gardner; Jaden Smith · Christopher Gardner Jr.; Thandiwe Newton · Linda Gardner; Brian Howe · Jay Twistle; James Karen · Martin Frohm; Dan Castellaneta · Alan Frakesh; Kurt Fuller · Walter Ribbon; Takayo Fischer · Mrs. Chu
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- perseverance; fatherhood; poverty; determination
- Tone and mood
- emotional; inspirational
- Setting
- San Francisco, 1981
- Premise and plot tags
- based on a true story; underdog story
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2006 memoir by Chris Gardner and Quincy Troupe
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, with particular acclaim for Will Smith's performance and the emotional weight of the story.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 36; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · Nomination; Golden Globe · Best Actor · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The title's misspelling comes from a mural at a daycare facility.; The film artistically altered the timeline of the real-life events.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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