I must confess that Will Smith is one of my favorite actors. While he’s been in a plethora of action and comedic flicks, he’s exhibited great talent in more serious roles. He’s taking that turn again in Pursuit of Happyness, an upcoming film in which he stars with his son Jaden. The film is based on the life of Christopher Gardner, who went from being a homeless father with a young son to a successful Wall Street broker. As ComingSoon puts it, the film focuses on the time when:Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a bright and talented, but marginally employed salesman. Struggling to make ends meet, Gardner finds himself and his five-year-old son evicted from their San Francisco apartment with nowhere to go. When Gardner lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, he and his son endure many hardships, including living in shelters, in pursuit of his dream of a better life for the two of them.An interesting God-talk possibility is the listing of Rev. Cicil Williams in the film’s cast. In Gardner’s online bio, he lists Rev. Williams (of Glide Memorial UMC) as the person running the shelter he and his son enter after sleeping in a subway bathroom. You can see the film’s trailer (which actually made me tear up, ack) and an interview with Smith at the official website. It’s due out December 15.
(Image: Columbia)