Seven Pounds

If this film doesn't get nominated for an Academy Award, there is no justice. It was an astonishingly good film. The storyline unfolds piece by piece and keeps you guessing until the end, trying to figure out who this character is and what he's up to. The juxtaposition of such a dynamically humanitarian man being an IRS auditor is the first thing that piques your interest and the mystery grows from there. In order to be an excellent film, you need a good story, good screenplay, and good acting. Seven pounds has all that and more. The story was upheld by outstanding performances by Will Smith, Rosario Dawson and Barry Pepper. It's more than a touching film. It's one of those rare films that actually makes you take stock of your life and reexamine your priorities. Kudo's to all involved.

The IRS tax collector Ben Thomas (Will Smith) seeks out Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson) and resolves her situation with the IRS. Emily has a serious heart problem and is waiting for a donor, but her blood is very rare and her odds are low. Meanwhile Ben seeks out other people to help them in a journey for redemption for what he did in the past. However Emily and Ben unexpectedly fall in love with each other, but Ben does not have the intention of changing his plans.

"Seven Pounds" is a predictable drama with a fragmented non-chronological screenplay about a man seeking redemption for what he did in the past that has shattered his world. The story is simple but the screenplay hides the secret about Ben until the very end. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sete Vidas" ("Seven Lives")

This film blew me away. The acting was superb, the story was heart wrenching and I truly believed in the characters. Some of you may say that this film is just another in a list of movies such as Pay It Forward.

This is a fallacy. This film here grabbed me from the start and will stay with me for weeks. It's a very powerful film and Will Smith and the rest of the cast deserve our applause and respect for playing their roles so well. Credit to the scriptwriters and director for also allowing this film to exist, it was amazing.

A definite must see film and one worthy of nomination for awards.

9/10

Let me start by saying I didn't care much to see this movie. Although the trailer left much to the imagination it looked quite boring.

The majority of the movie is mysterious, slightly confusing and will have you guessing a lot. It's almost hard to believe so many loose ends could be tied up as it nears its ending, but it does, and it does so beautifully. Everything culminates in this magnificent ending that will make you want to tell everyone you meet to go see this movie now.

Also, I'm the kind of person that is not easily moved. As a matter of fact I can't even remember the last time a movie made me feel something the way this one did.

I rank this as one of the top movies of 2008, along with TDK and Slumdog Millionaire. And definitely somewhere on my all time top five.

You spend most of this two-hour film wondering "what's the story regarding the lead character?"

Will Smith, as a low-key "Ben Thomas" will keep you guessing. The last 20-25 minutes is when you find out, and it's a shocker....but you knew something dramatic was going to be revealed. Until then, Smith, plays it mysterious, almost stalking people. You know he has a good reason for doing it, but it's never really explained, once again, to keep us guessing until the end.

All of it, including a on again/off again but touching romance with Rosario Dawkins ("Emily Posa") might make some viewers frustrated or wanting to quit this film.....but don't because the final long segment puts all the pieces of this puzzle together.

This is a two-hour film and not the typical action-packed macho Will Smith film. In fact, the most shocking aspect might be seeing the drawn, sad face of Smith throughout this story. It almost doesn't even look like him in a number of shots. He looks like he's lost weight and is sick. Smith does a great job portraying a man carrying around a lot of sadness.

Like a good movie will often do, this film will leave you thinking long after the ending credits.