Having given away the promised climactic ending - or lack there of - at the very opening, the entire length of the Seven Pounds felt wasted. Yet this is hardly surprising being the work of Italian director, Gabrielle Muccino, who most recently added ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ to the list of films used as a soporific..
Will Smith plays a lead and saint-seeking role - again - of a man trying to rid of his haunting secret by bestowing life changing gifts to seven chosen people. Who, I hasten to add, he found by impersonating an IRS taxation officer and stealing data. There’s a life lesson, if ever there was one.
Embarking on the mission of a suicidal Will Smith might not seem appealing to everyone, but admittedly his outstanding ability to act as someone so fraught with despair is invaluable.
Luckily for us, the monotony and doom which you so optimistically paid to see, brightens slightly with the appearance of Woody Harrelson, proving once more to be a priceless character - Ezra the ‘blind, vegan, beef salesman’. But it is still heavy going as he is spat at down the phone, cueing the second startlingly emotional moment in the first four minutes.
At times it can be rather falsely tantalising trying to piece together the obscurities that bless this slow moving film into somewhat of a comedy. But if you are able to save yourself from seeing the first 90 seconds you might find Seven Pounds really can pay off, allowing you to see the richness of each actor’s overwhelmingly emotive performance that come with, and only with, brazen naivety.
That said - the narrative which not so cleverly intertwines a love story between Smith and one of his seven preys, Rosario Dawson, is as similar and predictable as every fairytale. Including the part where the – fresh? – prince rescues the beautiful dying maiden.
Ultimately, this movie does provide an admirable performance by Smith alongside unfailing supporting roles, but the generic narrative meant little impact. Then again, what more could we expect?
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