In the film directed by Gabriele Muccino, and written by Steven Conrad, Smith stars as Gardner, a single father and stockbroker who's going through the worst times of his life but somehow finds the courage to keep pushing for the sake of his young son (played by his real-life son Jaden Smith). With challenges mounting on his path at break-neck speed, Gardner's resilience peaks above all the odds in a poignant story filled with many life lessons. Smith embodies the role with utmost passion, conveying his character's various struggles in a way that has you rooting for him with all you have.
The Pursuit of Happyness is not only one of Smith's best dramatic performances, but many argue it is the best all-round performance of his career and Smith agrees. “I think the best individual movie, all around, that I’ve ever made is The Pursuit of Happyness,” the Oscar winner said recently this summer during a Hot Ones challenge. “Right behind that is the first Men In Black. The direction, cinematography, and music, …If I had to put four of them in a time capsule, it would be The Pursuit of Happyness, the first Men In Black, I Am Legend, and probably King Richard.”
What Has Will Smith Been Up To Recently?
After the Oscars 2022 mishap which some feared spelled doom for his career, Smith returned with a bang with Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the Bad Boys franchise. The movie impressed critics and thrilled audiences who filled up theaters to help push the total gross of the Bad Boys franchise above the $1 billion mark. Smith is now set to continue his relationship with original Bad Boys director Michael Bay away from the buddy cop franchise. Both will collaborate on the action film, Fast And Loose, which will see Smith as a man suffering from amnesia but, as he begins to recollect his past, realizes he lived a double life as a crime kingpin and undercover CIA agent.
Smith has also been confirmed to co-star with Michael B. Jordan in I Am Legend 2, the sequel to his 2007 post-apocalyptic film. Sugar Bandits was set to be his next movie, but Smith recently departed the project due to scheduling conflicts.
The Pursuit of Happyness will begin streaming on Tubi on November 1.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Release Date December 15, 2006
Director Gabriele Muccino
Cast Will Smith , Todd Black , Jason Blumenthal , James Lassiter , Steve Tisch , DeVon Franklin Runtime 117 Minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers Steven Conrad
Tagline Inspired by a true story.
Budget $55 Million
Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , Relativity Media , Overbrook Entertainment , Escape Artists
Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing