Parents' Guide to

The Pursuit of Happyness

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Inspirational but often emotionally wrenching story.

Movie PG-13 2006 117 minutes
The Pursuit of Happyness Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 9+

Based on 16 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 5, 2022
age 12+

that kid'll getcha

This film does not analyze the larger systemic issues that facilitated the lack of wealth prevalent in 1981 San Francisco. The bootstraps American Dream trope is heavy-handed all over this film and it is unfortunate. For 10 people that work really hard and try to make it even in the face of homelessness how many are able to lift themselves out of poverty? It was great that Gardner made it, but what about all of the others? Smith's son got me when he was crying for his Captain America...that was real talk
1 person found this helpful.
Goodviewingdad
Goodviewingdad Adult
August 11, 2019
age 12+

Real Life Issues - Refreshing break from anthromorphism and fantasy

Excellent acting by Will Smith and his son. So well done you could feel the despair trying to bring Chris Gardner (Will Smith) to giving up. Great example of sacrificial love for his son; realistic because he's not perfect when the stress gets intense (when he panics a couple of times he scares his boy but he doesn't allow his mistakes to keep him from loving his son and doing the best he can for him). Profanity as mentioned before by other reviewers (adds to the realistic feeling of the movie), a scene when his wife is shirtless and just wearing a bra. One instance of the son jumping on bed in underwear but brief and innocent. Outstanding acting by Will Smith. Great lesson on persevering under intense financial pressure, despair, and disappointment . Inspired this father in so many ways, not being lazy or indifferent to children, a better understanding of the plight of the homeless, looking for opportunities to help others struggling to get a leg up in their respective careers, being generous, and slow to judge just to name a few. I think it would be too intense for the youngest of viewers, but 12 and above could certainly learn a lot from this film. The only concern for me was the profanity.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on a true story and set in 1981 San Francisco, Pursuit begins as Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his wife, Linda (Thandiwe Newton), are having troubles. She works double shifts doing hotel laundry; he's trying to sell bone density scanners (i.e., specialty medical machines that, as Chris admits in voiceover, are too expensive for most doctors to buy). When Linda abandons the family, Chris remains determined. He spends six months working in an unpaid internship at Dean Witter, dead set on becoming a stock broker. He's smart enough and good with numbers, he figures, having proved that much by solving a Rubik's cube in front of a Dean Witter broker. As he studies and scrapes by, barely earning enough each week to pay for meals, Chris is sure he's going to make it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16):
Kids say (48):

Jaden Smith is adorable; he delivers an endearing performance as Gardner's son, Christopher, in what turns out to be a simple, sentimental, but ultimately inspiring movie. The film deals with the American Dream from a particular perspective, focusing, as the title implies, on the constitutional right to "pursue" happiness, rather than the right to be happy. In this manner, the movie is able to avoid focusing much on institutional racism and how that factors into achieving the Dream. Instead, the relationship between father and son, through all the ups and downs of family strife and economic instability, take center stage, with lovely results.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of stories like Chris'. Why do people like rags-to-riches tales? Why are they considered good material for movies? How close do you think the movie version is to the true story?

  • Families can also talk about the risks that Chris takes to provide a "better life" for his son. How does the movie show that little Christopher is both scared of having no place to sleep, but also utterly trusting of his dad? Is it OK that Chris tells a white lie in front of his son to get a job?

  • How does the film portray the decision by Christopher's mother to leave him? From whose point of view do you see this choice?

Movie Details

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