Review of Seven Pounds (2008) by Mark-Eugene D — 17 Mar 2011

*A "worthy viewing", if one enjoys notable individual performances of the credited cast, buona to bravi, and can accept the movie's battling stoic-emotive and loss-life tensions, and the decision to construct its evolving and largely resolving mystery as a modern non-linear narrative. (This is a true, and smoothly cut narrative.).

Ones having spent personal time in self-reflection over a serious personal wrong done to another, with an ability yet to see resulting angst transferred to celluloid-this might also help to self-select a satisfied viewer. (A demand for a unreservedly happy ending will not.).

Yet, despite tensions, and a climax that may bring to mind the silent uttered "No..." often on ones lips on a first arriving at end of Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'-despite, or perhaps because of these:

|| the movie works ||.

And, amazingly, it does so while presenting a harsh moral framework that many real folk will understand, if to the same they will never submit. The Law is clearly here, and in the end, only a type of grace, and that usually limited to expression by Deity. The connection to such "realties of many" meant that, for me, it was no surprise that lay response was positive to the movie with a clear majority, while that of critics was the proportionate inverse. Here I'd say: Listen to your neighbour, and cut a fair arc around any who are not touched by the film at all.

These conclusions, because early-career screenwriter Nieporte and dodicesimo film director Muccino succeed in presenting a tale of an earnest and honest man whose juxtaposed success and simple but catastrophic misfortune provide the projectile of story an accelerant-however frequently equally deserving, may we never be so unfortunate-and whose strength of will acts as the stabilizer to propel and guide forward a narrative hinting, and then ending in a Shakespearean payment of the proverbial pound-penance for sin, here an approach to true payment in kind.

Themes are of repentance, renewed hope and reawakenings, and as noted, penitence, but, strictly speaking, more earthly reward than earthly redemption (critics, au contraire). These are layered cinematically in ways that, for its modern telling and cutting, are necessarily less than smooth. Even so, in this reviewers opinion, the storytelling does strike-for audiences that do not spend the majority of their workweeks over-watching movies-the right balance between dissembing and disclosure. It is neither, as varying critics have claimed, too obvious nor too opaque.

Strong if occasionally enigmatic interpretations of the protagonist by Mr Smith-when you have found yourself in his situation, then tell me that your feelings and resulting expressions would be less enigmatical, but only then-and a heart-rending ultimate reality and heart-capturing performance by Ms Dawson together make this worthy viewing. Add in very strong character sketches by Mr Harrelson as a blind musician, Mr Pepper and Mr Ealy and as childhood best friend and physically redeemed brother, both somehow aware of an impending great loss-these and, e.g., such believable if humourously irritating minor interjections from Octavia Spencer (as a homecare nurse) and Joseph A. Nunez (as a motel manager) point to the strength of the ensemble gathered by casting professionisti Denise Chamian and Angela Demo and the dodici (!) producers.

Smith as 'ingegnere morto' and Dawson as 'artista vivente' are further enlivened, if only temporarily, by the costuming, design, art, and decoration of Davis Riva, Klassen, and Pope, which support the themes and strengthen the necessary embattled dualities; cinematography by Le Sourd is similarly spot-on. Rich further 'colore dei violoncelli' is added by the original music of Angelo Milli, with only the rarest familiar stock phrasing. Who will not from this remember how the discordance of a pair of piano notes sounded repeatedly in an otherwise uplifting melody captured the overall narrative and philosophical tensions of the film? Quasi bella, ma non.

Again, in this case, this reviewer stands with those amateurs whose film choices are guided by tastes acquired through living a real life, rather through words put on page about life from a reel. || This film is worth seeing. || Not after a hard week in the OR or classroom, or after near misses on the expressway.

But on a bright afternoon, with another thoughtful soul, with a glass to raise at a meal that follows, and so with a deeper meaning to l'chaim.

4.0 stars +/- 0.3 UPCSD**.

*No true synopsis and no spoilers to be found here, only comments that presume awareness of the film from full synopses/reviews. [This offering, from a reviewer who wishes readers could search through "top reviewer" characteristics, to distill from that crude mixture, a distillate of those writers with some feel for life away from the typewriter lived by the rest of us. May we each, in our spheres, opine a bit less, and live a bit more.].

**Abbreviation: Usual Personal Cinematographic Standard Deviation (here, with a clear nod to the character Tim).