Seven Pounds
Over the weekend had the opportunity to go out for a movie with friends. When we left, slowly making our way to the cinema, the plan was for one movie but by the time we got there, dinner, a few calls, and perhaps a hundred text messages later Seven Pounds was the decided upon feature we would see. Now I agreed to see it without really knowing what it was about but figuring that Will Smith has been good of late. I had seen the previews, (why do they call those a trailer, they are always in front of – the movies as previews, prior to the release of the movie on television and the internet?) but those only left me wondering is it an action thriller where someone looses it or what?
As fate would have it, right after we went into the auditorium, I started getting calls and text messages regarding a server issue at work. This is a sidetrack to the post, but over the course of the movie it became clear it was not just an email server issue (the issue is long since been resolved FYI). Over the course of the movie I probably missed about 1/3 of it as I politely removed myself to the hall to figure out what was going on with the issue.
Having done that though, I was still able to largely understand what was going on it. It was like that theory that says if you have the first and last letter our minds will generally figure out the word. It does rather quickly become obvious what is going on in the movie and with hindsight maybe I was just missing the obvious when I had previously viewed those trailers for the film.
I wonder if I am giving away too much to say that Will Smith’s character, Ben Thomas, is a man on the mission to set things right and maybe in some small achieve a redemption by doing large things. From the very beginning of the movie we realize something horrible happened in the past. We further get a quick insight that Thomas intends to end the good deeds with a suicide. The suspense comes as we follow the character around as he plans and schemes his deeds and sets up everything for the suicide. We see a masterful mind at work and yet we wonder throughout if the entire thing will succeed or be caught onto by those that are concerned and halted or maybe even Thomas will find redemption in love before it all too late.
Lesson learned on this one is that one should prepare just a little bit better what to expect when going along with friends to the movies. This one really tugs at the chest throughout and regardless of how it does end you know you are going to be emotionally drained when the credits roll. It will be in theaters for a while and when award time rolls around for 2009 expect this one to get a couple of nods.
