THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Year: 2006
USA & UK: Sony Pictures Releasing
Cast: Will Smith, Thandie Newton, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Brian Howe, James Karen, Dan Castellaneta, Kurt Fuller, Takayo Fischer, Kevin West, George K Cheung, David Michael Silverman, Domenic Bove, Geoff Callan, Joyful Raven, Scott Klace
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Country: USA
USA & UK: 117 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for some language
UK Certificate: 12A contains two uses of strong language
USA Release Date: 15 December 2006
UK Release Date: 12 January 2007
Synopsis
Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a bright and talented, but marginally employed salesman struggling to make ends meet. Married to Linda (Thandie Newton) with a 5 year-old son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith), their marriage is collapsing under the strain of financial hardship and Linda reluctantly leaves. Now a single parent, Chris finds himself evicted from his San Francisco apartment when he can't pay the rent, as his current job as a salesman just doesn't pay enough.
However he is determined to secure a better-paying job he is eventually offered an unpaid internship at a prestigious stock brokerage company. He hopes at the end of the program he will obtain a job with better prospects and more financially stable future.
Being unpaid though leads to many nights spent sleeping rough wherever they can find shelter, but throughout Chris tries to maintain some stability as a loving and caring father to see them both through their current hardship.
Starring Will Smith and Thandie Newton, Smith's son Jaden Chrisopher Syre Smith makes his feature debut co-starring as Smith's on-screen son in the movie. Directed by Italian director Gabriele Muccino (REMEMBER ME, THE LAST KISS aka L'ULTIMO BACIO and executive producer of THE LAST KISS (2006).