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| Movie Review: Seven Pounds Alternate Title: Lightweight
Story: You fight the urge -
yet you will not be able to help yourself. This manipulative, contrived,
eye-rolling, highly predictable mess of a film will make you cry. Fight
it you will - but I warn you - you will shed a tear. Are you sad that
you wasted two hours? Wasted some money? Perhaps. But, if you stay until
the end, you will cry - nevertheless. Directed by Gabriele Muccino
and written by Grant Nieporte the film purports to
keep you mystified as to the protagonists' motives. In order to make
the film even more of a seeming puzzle, we view it in a non-linear fashion.
However, I figured out the guy's motives within the first 15 minutes
and imagine that you will too. We watch him do strange things in his
IRS agent outfit (not Man in Black - more like Man in Gray). He visits
sick people, blind people, abused people and generally has you thinking
he has a Savior mentality or he is just nuts. I am not going to give away any more of the plot
(loose term) but if you like the Will Smith that acts all conflicted,
hurt and sad, this is for you. If you like the Will Smith as Super Hero
- stay far away. Let me rephrase that - why not just stay away. Acting: I like Will Smith, but this Will
Smith as Ben Thomas is all weepy, sad and unable to express
his grief. Rosario Dawson as heart patient Emily Posa,
is always interesting to watch. Even in this fluff piece. Woody
Harrelson as blind Ezra, is underutilized. Barry Pepper
might have lost a bet and that is why he got this role as friend, Dan.
Trivia: Rosario Dawson says she is of Puerto Rican,
Cuban, African American, Irish, and Native American descent. She is
a huge fan of the Star Trek franchise, and even speaks broken Klingon
language. Ka'Plok! Will Smith turned down the role
of Neo in The Matrix. He is the first hip-hop artist to be nominated
for an Academy Award and speaks fluent Spanish.
Predilection: None
Weather: It is usually sunny unless we need to see
buff and toned Will Smith running in the rain.
Critters: A giant Great Dane named Duke and a jellyfish.
Food: Eggplant parmesan, eggs and Chinese takeout.
Sex Spectrum: All fuzzy, romantic, burning candles,
raindrops on the window scene where you see nothing but bits and pieces.
Blatant Product Placement: Ford and a Heidelberg Press
Soundtrack: Schmaltzy
Opening Titles: An opening sequence that grabs your
attention before the title.
Visual Art: Unimpressive production values.
Theater Audience: Four other stunned patrons.
Sappy Factor: 4
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I started to look at my watch after
20 minutes.
Predictability Level: Over the top.
Tissue Usage: I fell for the deliberate tear jerker
and admit to getting teary despite hating myself for that.
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: Neither.
Length: Long at two hours.
LOBO HOWLS: 3 |