Critique of The Pursuit of Happiness - Essay Example

The Pursuit of Happiness This film is based on a true story about a man known as Christopher Gardner. In this movie, Will Smith takes the position of Christopher Gardner. The main character in the movie who is Chris Gardener tries to make a living through selling of bone scanner machines in San Francisco. Christopher Gardner believes that he is destined for a better career path although he is a naturally born as a salesman. At the start of the movie, his wife Linda does two jobs so that he may help him pay for the bills. Due to the pressure in his family, Linda decides to abandon his five-year-old son and goes to work in New York. Because of this, her husband is disappointed but he believes that he will find a way to take care of his son. He joins an internship program where he does not receive any payment. His condition grows worse when his scanning machines are stolen. In addition, he his later evicted from the apartment. They live in the streets, while there he nurtures his son with love and tenderness. With this, the essay brings out what “The Pursuit of Happyness” says about the modern day fathers and the cultural and social changes reflected in the film. The movie clearly portrays the close relationship between father and son. Christopher provides psychological and emotional support to his child, although they live in the streets. They both struggle hard to achieve their goals knowing very well that success does not come easily, it needs commitment. Christopher Gardner as a single father tries his best to bring up his son in the right way possible (Nadine 4). Christopher Gardener the main character in the film tries his best to balance his professional and personal life. He and his son endure many hardships for instance sleeping in bathrooms. In one of the scenes in this film Christopher is jailed for ten days for not paying the parking fees this shows how Christopher undergoes hardships with his son. This shows how the society values money than human life. As a result of his state in one of the scenes, Christopher pushes women in the bus so that he can get a chance to sleep in the homeless shelter (Nadine 4). This confirms that, when people are in desperate situations morals ceasing to exist they only focus on solving the problem. By this experience between Christopher and his son, the role of modern fathers is clearly brought out. Christopher Gardner balances his personal life and professional life in this film just as modern fathers do. He provides the support he should provide as a father and still works as an intern. In this essay, Christopher struggles to obtain the American dream and the true happiness just as the modern fathers do especially in the United States of America. There are some social cultural changes addressed in this film. Individualism, which takes a big part in the American society, is portrayed in this film. Individualism is a common problem in the American History. In addition, it has taken root in modern America as portrayed in the film. This means that most American’s believe that they can achieve their dreams by their own self. In this film, Christopher Gardner struggles to raise his son as a single father. He focuses on achieving his dream as an individual. This shows that individualism is a social issue that still exists in America. The film shows how people are trying to achieve the American dream. Besides the main character, the movie revolves on the life of San Francisco. In the film, people struggle to fight time by moving hurriedly in the streets. The movement of the vehicle and the beeps of horns show how urgency surrounds the whole city. People show casing their talents along the roads show how most people in the city are jobless. The musicians who are seen at the start of the film show how most people in San Francisco use their free time to obtain quick cash. The main character in the film is a victim of the highly competitive society. This is shown by how he struggles in life. Christopher has not sold any bone density scanner, which he does for a living. Because of this, he is evicted from his apartment (Nadine 7). Although he is evicted from his apartment, he still believes that he will achieve the American dream. In addition, Christopher’s wife Linda tries to achieve the American dream. She goes to an extent of abandoning his family so that she can achieve the American dream. The movie shows that American dream is a social change in America that is why characters in the film try their best to achieve it. They do not even care about the present condition but look at the future. For instance, in one of the scenes in the movie the main character Christopher spots a luxurious car while passing by a stock brokerage film. He admires the environment surrounding the luxurious red car and he believes that one day he will own the car. The desirable mood is brought up by a serene music playing in the background. Many people admire the luxurious red car and the environment surrounding it. For instance, a taxi driver admires the red luxurious car although he does not achieve that dream. This means that not everyone’s American dream come true although each one of them try to achieve it (Nadine 8). Poverty and homelessness is a social issue addressed in this film. The main character in the film is evicted from his own apartment. He goes to the streets to get shelter with his son. The community does not even care about his situation because individualism rules the members of the society. For instance, Christopher is arrested for not paying parking tickets. This shows how the members of the society are ruthless and only care about own lives. The bank also closes down his account for not paying taxes. This shows how the society and even government institutions do not even care about the welfare of the citizens. They only focus on the people who have money and not the poor in the society. In addition, Christopher’s wife Linda abandons his family for greener pastures she is not ready to suffer in lack with her family. The members of the society isolate the poor people and render them homeless. Many people in the film are jobless and look for ways of survival by demonstrating their talents in the streets (Nadine 3). The other social issue addressed in the film is the role of parents in the growth of a child. The parents are supposed to provide for their children no matter the condition they are in. In most societies, the father is the head of the family. That means he is supposed to provide physical and psychological support for the children. In this movie, Christopher gives his son the psychological support that he needs. That is why even if they obtain shelter from the streets they take this as an interesting moment. Because the father is the head of the family according to the society Linda lives his husband with her son and goes to New York. It is ironical how Linda goes to get a better job in New York and she does not even care about her son and husband. They sleep in the streets but she is not even concerned (Nadine 7). This portrays the aspect of individualism in United States of America as a social issue. Concisely, defining happiness is the main theme in this film. The main character in the film Christopher believes that happiness is mostly associated with the acquisition of money and a certain job. That is why the American dream emphases on money as the main drive in achieving the American dream. In the last scene of the movie, Christopher the main character in the film achieves his dream by getting a very good job. This shows how his efforts are valued and how his efforts are finally paid off. The essay brings out the role of the modern father and the social, cultural, and historical issues addressed in the film. Work cited Nadine Custer. The Pursuit of Happyness. Grin Verlag, 2013. Print. Read More