Gardener is played by Will Smith

I remember sitting in class impatiently waiting for my dad to pick me up from school. I wanted it to be three o'clock so desperately, unfortunately it was only noon. Something caught my eye, I looked out the window and I saw my dads truck ease onto the brick pavement. I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I told my teacher My dad was here, because his truck was here and it was no way he could not be here without his truck! He came to my classroom and I ran to the door to give my dad a hug. I asked him why he was picking me up so early, he grabbed me and whispered in my ear, we're about to go on a secret mission and not to tell your mom.

When we got to the car, he laid out the plans. We were going to get my mom a birthday gift, but first he wanted to take me to see The Pursuit of Happyness. It was strange, but I went with it. He basically gave me a lecture of the morality of the story, a lecture I was too young to understand. Now as I reach my last year in high school, I finally get why that movie was so important and what it means.

The Pursuit of Happyness is centered around a on young man by the name of Christopher Gardner struggling to provide for his family. Gardener is played by Will Smith and his son is played by Jaden Smith. He is a single parent, who is later evicted from his apartment. He and his young son have no place to go. It was a very heartbreaking scene when Christopher Gardner is waiting for everyone to leave the bus stop, he and his son play a game and hide in the bathroom. Mr. Gardner lays napkins on the floor and they sit on the ground until his son falls asleep. Mr. Gardner has tears in his eyes, he is hopeless. He can not believe that he is subject to living on the floor of a bathroom.

Mr. Gardner has no money. He spent all of his money on portable Bone Density Scanner machines. He tries to sell them, but doctors tell him they are too expensive. He eventually sells a few, the money he receives he spends on his son, he takes his son out to dinner and bought a hotel room for the night to sleep.

At one point Mr. Gardner and his son are in a convenience store, the little boy looks at a chocolate bar and acts as if he was no longer fantasizing about the candy. Mr. Gardner tells him he can have it and the boy tells the dad that it was okay. At such a young age, the child was able to grasp what was happening. In that moment, the boy comes to a realization that his wants are not essential.

In another scene, Mr. Gardner and his son are at the basketball court. Gardner tells his son that he is likely to be average at playing basketball, after the boy makes comments of future aspirations as a professional basketball player. The little boy stops playing and places the ball in a bag. Gardner tells him Don't ever let anyone tell you, you can't do something, even me. If you have a dream, you have to protect it, people can't do something themselves, so they make you believe you can't do it. If you want something go get it. That scene is so inspirational and foreshadows Gardners coming success.

The pair continues to live in and out of shelters. One day Chris meets a man in front of a Dean Witter Firm, he is driving a luxury car and he has an idea to be a stockbroker. He eventually lands an internship at the firm, but it was no guarantee that he would receive a job. He took the chance and he finishes the internship, eventually landing the job. Gardeners desire for happiness is linked interchangeably with his desire for wealth. Gardner is a success at the firm, making millions, leaving the shackles of poverty behind him. He later opens his own investment firm in 1987,Gardner Rich.

Will Smith was able to portray Gardners heartbreaking story of poverty into triumph. The director accomplished the goal of portraying an underdog working hard to achieve happiness. The New York Times states, The Pursuit of Happyness is the the kind of entertainment that goes down smoothly until it gets stuck in your craw. Initially I did not grasp the importance of this movie, but now I understand why my dad took me to see this movie. Hard work ethic and dedication allows you to acquire your dreams, even in the face of adversary.

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