My friend and neighbor (we'll call him Mr. Wilson) dragged me with him to see "The Pursuit of Happyness" with him this weekend - unbearable! Honestly, the story had a lot of promise, but the plot just dragged on, showing us the same things in a different way, over and over and over. By the mid-way point, we'd started our own Mystery Science Theater episode. With half an hour left, we were actively rooting against the main character, despite the feel-good ending having been telegraphed by Samual Morse.
So imagine my surprise this morning when I learned that Will Smith got an Oscar nod for his role in the film. Now hear me out, guys. I think Will Smith is a fine actor. I enjoyed Enemy of the State. I guarantee I love him more than Phillip Banks ever did. And I think he did a fine job with the script he was given for "Happyness". But I'm puzzled by this nomination, because that movie is just plain bad.
I guess I just wonder why an actor should get accolades for picking a terrible script. It's like putting Chad Johnson on a Pop Warner team; the field is skewed. I mean, look at Robert DeNiro. DeNiro is arguably one of the best actors of the 20th century, and he didn't get nominated for "Meet the Fockers", because that movie was what it was. "Fockers" wasn't trying to redefine the motion picture industry, or make a statement, or shatter archaic stereotypes. And "Happyness" tried too hard to do all those things, so, to me, it failed. Why reward that?
Bottom line: If you're a good actor in a bad movie, you should get a new agent. Not an Oscar.
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3 comments:
I'm surprised you so vehemently criticize this movie! Is it really that bad? (Granted, I haven't seen it, so I don't actually know what I'm talking about...not that I let that stop me!) The previews don't look that terrible, and everyone I know that has seen it thought it was really good. A bit overly sentimental, perhaps, but overall not a complete waste of celluloid. What are your Oscar picks for this year?
Thanks for the comment, lorelai! I think my main disappointment with "Happyness" was that it had so much potential, but it just didn't deliver. See, I like a film that makes me think, that makes me feel, and this one didn't do either. I left the theater feeling apathetic.
The film's premise was great, but I think the plot development was just too disjointed. I spent so much time trying to figure out the characters and what the director was trying to show me that I didn't have enough energy left to be excited about it.
My opinion is that a well-crafted film simply compels. "Hotel Rwanda" was such a film - and if you haven't seen it, you must. We felt for the characters; we were shown just enough backstory to put ourselves in the situation, to make us want them to succeed. Watching "Rwanda" was an emotional experience, and "Happyness" could have been that as well, but it just fell flat.
I think "dragged" is a strong word because if I remember correctly you wanted to see the movie too at the time.
I'd also like to point out that I thought the movie was horrible and had I known it was going to suck as much as it did I would not have "dragged" you there with me...
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