Have you ever watched a movie and after it had finished the narrative stuck on your mind like chewing gum on the bottom of one of your best shoes? Have you ever felt like the movie was extremely extravagant that you needed to interrogate curiously on what happens after the film? So have I – I’ve felt like this in rare occasions. It’s one of those rare moments that I watch a film and it has a massive impact on my life. Two of Will Smith’s movies (both also directed by Gabriele Muccino) called Seven Pounds and Pursuit of Happyness has both had an effect on me – either if it was positive or negative – it still had an effect in both ways.

I was about twelve years of age, when I’ve first watched Pursuit of Happyness. At that time I’ve never had an interest in films and I wasn’t a mega fan of Will Smith. However, I watched it on DVD with my older sister; therefore it meant that I had to be inaudible like a forgotten melody. As the movie started there were non-diegetic sounds of the voice of Will Smith, narrating his life story and how he overcomes his mournful struggles.

Furthermore, Smith plays the role of a protagonist, Christopher Gardner, whom is hardworking and dedicated to his work and his son. He is determined to be in his son’s life due to his father being absent in his childhood life. Earlier in the movie Christopher narrates “that I “didn’t met my dad until I was twenty-eight.” this suggests that the character wants to be in every single day of his son’s life; doesn’t want to make the mistakes that his own father made and feel deeply remorseful later in life.

In addition to this, the scene that touched my heart the most was when Christopher and his son Chris (portrayed by Jaden Smith) have locked themselves in the toilets, in the station. This gives off the atmosphere that they are desperate for shelter and living conditions which are adequate. When they are both isolated in the gentlemen toilets, it gives off a powerfully emotional feeling towards the audience. The scene displays a strong loving relationship between father and son. All the father has left is his son: he needs his son as much as the son needs his father. This made me shower heavily with tears of despair and sympathy.

There wasn’t exactly an antagonist in this film; although the film was engaging anyhow. The concept of having no enemy made me think this film was quite authentic and different from any other huge Hollywood pictures. Maybe the antagonist could be the struggles in life getting in your way. To be able to get around the obstacle you need to have the ability to be initiative and to persevere.

Pursuit of Happyness had stimulated me encouragingly to aspire to be an actress when I’m older because of the motivational quotes that are consisted throughout the movie. Christopher Gardner says to his son, Chris, that if “you want something. Go get it. Period.” This implies that if you desire to have something, you can get it by doing the things that you have to do to get it. To go get the stuff which acquire to your needs, you have to be determined and nothing can prevent you from getting it. Plus, the word “Period” in this content suggests that nothing else needs to be said anymore; it’s short and direct to the point. The sensation of this quote makes me feel unstoppable; nothing can get in my way of my goals of becoming an actress.

On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Seven Pounds. This is another Will Smith movie which was released about two years after Pursuit of Happyness. I was eager to see this film because I gained gratitude and adoration for Smith’s movies. It was in the cinemas when I saw this, with my friends. At first I felt a bit sceptical about the movie because in the beginning I didn’t know what was going on, neither did the audience. There were diegetic sounds at the opening of Tim Thomas (Will Smith) calling for help and breathing heavily as if he were going to die. As I gradually got nearer watching towards the ending of the movie, everything made clear sense to me, and I fully understood what the narrative was.

My connotation of this movie is that it might’ve been something ominous and has a sinister message behind it; however the moral of the story was just plain and simple. As a result this could’ve had a negative effect on the audience: the protagonist, Tim Thomas, is seen texting while driving and then suddenly… His whole world is destroyed and he loses everything. During the movie he is seen repaying for his sins in sorrow. The atmosphere of the movie is filled with melancholy. Despite the protagonist not having any common sense, it shows that you should be more aware of your surroundings – otherwise there’ll be consequences.

However my favourable scene was the ending: when Ezra Turner and Emily Posa meet for the first time at an outdoor recital. I believed that this scene was unforgotten and iconic to me because the two strangers, who used to be vulnerable and defenceless, were brought together by one great man - Tim. This made me feel enlivened with content; at the same time it made me feel mournful – as it wasn’t a happy ending for everyone. The archetype of the dying strangers is that they’re weak; nevertheless they remain humble and calm even though when Tim Thomas insults and interrogates them in a harsh manner. The protagonist sacrificed his life for several strangers. It made me wonder that you should always do the right thing and that you should help others to accomplish, as well as yourself.

Overall, both movies affected me in different ways and have taught me some key lessons in life. The two movies are similar in ways: the genre is drama and the demographic is aimed towards at young adults – also adults in general. Nonetheless, they are differentiated in terms of composition: in Seven pounds the camera is focused on many people’s complications in life. In Pursuit of Happyness it only views on one person’s struggle; and how he overcomes it.

Both films encouraged me prosperously to become my dream job as an actress. If I were to watch these movies again – I would.