Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds is an unforgettable movie. In fact, flashbacks of certain scenes creep up on me occasionally when I'm in my car. And it's been over a month since I've seen it... You'll see what I mean when you watch it.

Notice how I said WHEN you watch this. This is a movie I think everyone would enjoy- whether you're male or female, whether you liked the Pursuit of Happyness or not (Both movies have the same director and producer and share some creative similarities, but the stories are completely different).

The pace of the movie is great. I don't think that I blinked once (or at least it didn't feel like it), throughout its two hours and some forty minutes or so. I was drawn in immediately by the movie's dialogue and imagery, as well as the mystery behind the main character's motives.

Full of suspense, the movie has many twists and turns that are surprising and gripping. The official site of the movie classifies Seven Pounds as an emotional drama. THAT it is. There were scenes that made me laugh, some that set my heart pounding, some that frightened me, and many that were so heartwrenching that I couldn't help the tears. And from the sounds of it, neither could many of the other viewers who were in the same theater that night.

Will Smith is phenomenal in this movie. I heard he wasn't sure if he wanted to play the part, because it was so intense, but that his wife encouraged him to. If any of this is true, I have to say that that Jada Pinkett Smith is one smart lady.

Even though I was already a big fan of Will Smith's work, I was so taken by how convincingly he truly BECOMES this complex character- Ben Thomas. In some ways, Thomas' journey becomes ours in that we are taken along with him, to experience the hurt and pain, and love and fear that he feels throughout the movie. It is mind blowing what he puts himself through because of a tragic event that haunts him every second of his life. But, at the same time, it is presented in a way that seems almost understandable.

"In seven seconds, God created the world, in seven seconds, I shattered mine," says Ben.

I think the movie is about giving, and also about forgiving, not just others, but yourself as well. It's also about regrets, and serves as a reminder to all of us to cherish the people around us. Ben was so consumed with his work that he was blindsighted to what was in front of him, until it was too late. But the real tragedy is that he cannot let go of his guilt or come to terms with this life changing mistake.

We all make mistakes. But Ben handles his in an extreme manner. To try to redeem himself, Ben helps seven strangers put their lives back together in ways that most human beings wouldn't even imagine.

The interactions between Ben and these seven people help us to see who he really is, and we can't help but to want someone, perhaps one of them, to save him from this heavy burden he has carried with him for so long.

Impressive is the way that Ben's secret is only hinted at throughout the movie- bits and pieces intertwined in his dealings with the seven people he so strategically seeks out. And only at the end of the the movie is the secret revealed in its entirety.

It's a mystery to me why this movie just disappeared from the main theaters so quickly- I couldn't wait to see it when it first came out, and then couldn't seem to stop talking about it. But I haven't heard much about it from others since. It should have been in theaters much longer than it was. I highly recommed grabbing the chance to watch it on the big screen if it's still showing out there somewhere. Otherwise, you might have to wait until it's on DVD. Either way, go see it. Seven Pounds is brilliant.

On a side note, there have been discussions about why the movie is called Seven POUNDS. I thought it referrred to the weight of guilt that Ben was carrying with him for so long.

But the best answer I've seen so far on the internet is: "The title Seven Pounds refers to the Shakespearean pound-of-flesh metaphor (from the play the Merchant of Venice), meaning a figurative debt that needs to be paid back."

I would love to hear your comments on this once you've watched the movie.