He rushes to his son's daycare, hugging him and knowing that after everything him and his son had been through things would be all right. Outside he begins to cry as the busy people of San Francisco walk past him. Then they tell him that he has been an excellent trainee and that tomorrow he will have to wear his shirt and tie again as it will be his first day as a broker. Chris thinks that he is about to be told the job will not be his as he says that he wore a shirt and tie for his final day. One day, he is called into an office and in it were the heads of Dean Witter. At work, there are nineteen other candidates for the one position.ĭespite his troubles, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father, using the affection and trust his son has placed in him as an impetus to overcome the obstacles he faces. He is seen carrying his suitcase to work because he doesn't have a home. He must leave work early every day so that he is there by 5:00 in the evening along with his son so that he may be assured of a place to sleep. He also scrambles from work every day to the Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, which offers shelter to the homeless. He is forced at one point to stay in a bathroom at a train station, bus stations, parks or wherever they can find refuge for the night. He is rendered homeless because he can't pay his rent. When he thinks he is "stable," he finds that he has lost $600 when the government takes the last bit of money in his bank account for taxes. During that period, Chris goes through a lot of hardship personally and professionally. Without any money or a wife, but committed to his son, Chris sees a chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, offering a more promising career at the end of a six-month unpaid training period. The man told him he was a stockbroker and, from that moment on, Gardner's career path was decided. Curious, Chris asked the man about his career. No longer able to cope, she reluctantly decides to leave.Ī pivotal moment in the film occurred when he encountered an impeccably-dressed man in a red Ferrari. Despite his valiant attempts to help keep the family afloat, the mother (Thandie Newton) of his five-year-old son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) is buckling under the constant strain of financial pressure.
In The Pursuit of Happyness, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a family man struggling to make ends meet. People disregard these reasons because of these stock narratives that ignore so many social factors and don't actually reflect the reality of our society.Critically Acclaimed Award Winning Film Featuring Will Smith
Although the latter of the three is illegal, it surely does not mean that it does not happen. For instance, companies nowadays still discriminate against women by paying them lower salaries compared to men, homosexuals are often targeted in workplaces, and people of different ethnicities are sometimes at a disadvantage while looking for work. This notion, however, clearly neglects the discrimination that still lingers in this society (skin color, gender, sexual orientation, etc.). Stories of success by certain individuals are used to reinforce the claim that those who fail to live the American dream have only the "content of their character" rather than the "color of their skin" to blame.
Presently, stock narratives are often used to legitimize inequality. However, the reality is that things are not that simple.
I think it's safe to assume that this movie promotes the notion that if we work hard, great things will follow.