The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Average Rating: 6.4/10
Reviews Counted: 170
Fresh: 113 | Rotten: 57
Will Smith's heartfelt performance elevates The Pursuit of Happyness above mere melodrama.
Average Rating: 6.3/10
Critic Reviews: 42
Fresh: 29 | Rotten: 13
Will Smith's heartfelt performance elevates The Pursuit of Happyness above mere melodrama.
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Average Rating: 4.1/5
User Ratings: 511,179
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Movie Info
The rousing, true-life story of a single dad who went from living on the streets to owning his own brokerage firm is brought to the big screen by superstar Will Smith, appearing for the first time opposite his real-life son Jaden Smith. Set in early-'80s San Francisco, the film charts the hard times and eventual comeback of Chris Gardner, a suddenly single salesman who has custody of his son, but finds that providing for the two of them is a challenge in the increasingly unstable economic
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Cast
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Will Smith
Chris Gardner -
Jaden Smith
Christopher -
Thandie Newton
Linda -
Brian Howe
Jay Twistle -
James Karen
Martin Frohm -
Dan Castellaneta
Alan Frakesh -
Kurt Fuller
Walter Ribbon -
Takayo Fischer
Mrs. Chu -
Kevin West
World's Greatest Dad -
George Kee Cheung
Chinese Maintenance Wor... -
Michael Silverman
Doctor at First Hospita... -
Domenic Bove
Tim Ribbon -
Geoff Callan
Ferrari Owner -
Raven Joyful
Hippie Girl -
Scott Klace
Tim Brophy -
Rashida Clendening
Bus Driver -
Eric Schniewind
Dotors -
Peter Fitzsimmons
Doctors -
Maurice Sherbanee
Roy the Old Neighbor -
Zuhair Haddad
Cab Driver -
Victor Raider-Wexler
Landlord -
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Darryl Fong
Policeman -
George Maguire (II)
Police Clerk -
Joseph A. Nuñez
Driver Who Hits Chris -
Adam Del Rio
Shoe-Spotting Intern -
Rocky LaRochelle
Motel Manager -
Erin Cahill
Dean Witter Receptionis... -
Reuben Grundy
Businessman -
Ming Lo
Young Executives -
John Kovacevich
Young Executives -
Bonnie Akimoto
Doctor's Receptionist -
Stu Klitsner
Dr. Strauk -
Esther Scott
Shelter Workers -
Tina D'Elia
Shelter Workers -
Rev. Cecil Williams
Reverend Williams -
David Fine
Big Guy Rodney -
George Moffatt
Homeless Guy In Line -
Amir Talai
Clerk -
Mike Garibaldi
Paul -
Jason Frazier
Young Man - Bus Fight -
Kevin Crook
Smug Intern -
David Haines
Other Young Executive -
Jim Finnerty
News Reporter -
Abigail Van Alyn
Ribbon's Receptionist -
Bob Greene
Doctor at Oakland Memor... -
Robert Anthony Peters
Glide Shelter Worker -
Terri Orth-Pallavicini
Secretary -
John Robb
Homeless Guys -
Daniel Wilder
Homeless Guys -
Cathy Fithian
Policewoman -
Keith Stevenson
Indian Grocery Clerk -
Jeff Applebaum
Dean Witter Employee -
Victor Hoagland
Ribbon's Associates -
Richard Bischoff
Ribbon's Associates -
Edward Donlin
Dr. Don Florio -
Larry Hunt
Bucket Man -
Rose Aispuro
Blood Center Clerk -
Arbin C. Kumar
Check Cashing Clerk -
The Glide Ensemble
Glide Singers -
Jerry Edwards McLilly
Smiley -
Shareef Allman
Prisoner -
Jeffrey Moon
Pizza Dad -
Peaches Hutchinson
Pizza Mom -
Brandon Dadwiler
Pizza Son -
Tateanna Wheeler-Lezine
Pizza Daughter -
Karen Kahn
Professional Woman -
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The Pursuit of Happyness Trailer & Photos
All Critics (171) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (120) | Rotten (58) | DVD (24)
Smith hits all the right notes - understated, engaging, inspirational - even if his young son threatens to charm him off the screen.
This is Smith as you've never seen him -- an unsure, struggling, frustrated guy trying to hold together his family and failing.
As cynical as I am, I have to admit I was completely won over by Smith's sincere and deeply effective work as a guy who was knocked down again and again, but refused to stay on the canvas.
Some people will see The Pursuit of Happyness as a glorification of capitalism, but the movie is much less about 'getting' than it is about 'not having.'
The Pursuit of Happyness can't imagine anything worse than being poor. Except maybe being surrounded by poor people.
Ultimately, the real Chris Gardner emerges as an inspirational American success story -- and Will Smith emerges as a fine and nuanced actor.
The Pursuit of Happyness is a very Hollywood film, which could be good or bad depending on your point of view. It tries very hard to be profound and inspirational, but ultimately it's not up to the task.
Counterfeit emotion and submerged racism
Sap, sentiment, and hokey plot devices bog down an otherwise down to earth story.
Smith turns in a career-capping performance, and director Gabriele Muccino ingeniously turns the material inward, cautioning us all to be grateful for what we have, for we're closer to the edge than we think.
Will Smith is getting all the awards buzz, but it's his real-life son, Jaden, who transcends all expectations in Happyness.
Rags-to-riches tale is predictable but well-acted.
Even the glossiest of surfaces can't extinguish the genuine emotions running beneath them here.
Few films so convincingly portray the titanic struggle that some people face day in and day out just to survive.
solidno napravljen holivudski proizvod
Expects us to swallow Capitalism's biggest lie: if you can't 'make it', then it's your own stupid fault.
Muccino skates along the edge of melodrama in this sweet film, with the tone just bordering on the syrupy, at times. That makes it a good, but not a great film to watch.
This is Will Smith's movie from start to finish and he carries it wonderfully.
[A] calculatedly emotional, sterilizingly cleancut drama.
Hokey title, but sometimes movie is good.
Audience Reviews for The Pursuit of Happyness
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Christopher: You're a good papa.
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- Chris Gardner: This part of my life, this part right here? This is called 'happiness'. Share this quote
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- Christopher: Hey dad, you wanna hear something funny? There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said "Do you need help?" and the man said "God will save me". Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said "God will save me", then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, "God, why didn't you save me?" and God said "I sent you two boats, you dummy!"
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- Chris Gardner: It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?
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- Chris Gardner: Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something. Not even me. All right?
- Christopher: All right
- Chris Gardner: You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.
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- Chris Gardner: I met my father for the first time when I was 28 years old. I made up my mind that when I had children, my children were going to know who their father was.
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Foreign Titles
- Das Streben nach Glück (DE)
- A la recherche du bonheur (FR)










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