Seven Pounds Review: Kindness & Strangers

There’s just something strangely depressing about a blind man selling beef over the phone. Same goes for a woman who will only feed a dog broccoli and tofu. And then there are things that are depressing in a general sort of way like relationship abuse, elder neglect, and congenital heart failure. Depressing as each of these things may be, first time screenwriter Grant Nieporte apparently thought they’d make spiffy ingredients for a darkly inspirational crypto-drama and thus was Seven Pounds born. Will Smith, possibly the most versatile movie star of all time, reunites with Pursuit of Happyness director Gabrielle Muccino to tell the tale of Ben Thomas, an IRS agent (or is he?) with an insanely guilty conscience on a search and rescue mission for noble strangers who deserve life changing gifts.

This is one of those pesky movies where to reveal too much would verge on throwing away the point of watching, but it just so happens I love that kind of pesky. Smith is at his usual best, continuing his recent one man Oscar campaign that started with Ali and continued with Happynes. His grim but compassionate demeanor perfectly embodies the movie’s tone, and the chemistry he shares with the exquisite Rosario Dawson is realistic and effortless. Dawson plays Emily Posa, owner of the aforementioned bad heart and vegetarian great dane. Ben puts Emily in his do-gooder crosshairs, but she’s not about to let a man like Ben simply come and go like an altruistic cat burglar, so she digs at his icy exterior and merits a solid measure of success. But can a man with Ben’s burdens ever feel truly free to love or be swayed from his mysterious campaign of mercy? I ain’t tellin’.

Seven Pounds is a wonderfully crafted movie, its camerawork and lighting strike just the right mood. And while its occasional flashbacks dole out perhaps too much of the eventual Big Reveal, they are at least well integrated. The only major bone I have to pick with this movie is that for a story marketed so heavily on a dark secret and a mysterious plan, it’s fairly easy to put together ahead of time. There’s still a small awe factor and some unforgettable visuals that accompany the climax, but suffice it to say that what Ben’s making up for isn’t all that heinous, more like an honest mistake. And when I started to suspect that a game changing mega-twist might elevate the proceedings, nope. Just the point A to point B logical assembly of all the puzzle pieces that preceded it. But in spite of that, Seven Pounds is still a good, touching drama that will make a holiday treat for those who don’t mind a little bittersweetness.