Seitsemän Elämää

A kitschy play on emotions that runs out of surprises after less than half an hour. It’s been long since I last saw such a predictable and yet relatively ambitious film. Otherwise, it has everything: a joyful run on a beach, a dramatic run in the rain, photos on a wall and newspaper clippings. Cliché incarnated. (26.02.2011)

A good person lives (or rather, did)... is what occurred to me at the end. It's not that I don't understand why the protagonist does what he does (it's more than obvious, after all), it's more that in the aftermath I was slightly bothered by the way his whole good-guy odyssey was presented and how it was at times nauseatingly grating. The film takes obvious inspiration (to put it mildly) from P.T. Anderson, and the bit POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT FOR SOME with the heart was like a straight ripoff of Iñárritu END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT. Plus, those emotional/psychotic outbursts by Will Smith unnecessarily detract from my otherwise more than good impression of his acting. As usual – I understand that the main character, given his past, has to "act a certain way" and somehow do things on screen in order to achieve at least some degree of believability. And yet some of the scenes where Will Smith is supposed to portray a "damaged soul" just ring hollow. I'm not a cynic, witness Magnolia or 21 Grams, which I consider some of my favorite films ever. In the case of Seven Pounds, it's a similar theme (and I'm certainly not suggesting that there's no emotion present), but it's telling that I didn't shed a tear there – with Magnolia I cried through maybe an entire packet of tissues. This postures like a tremendously academic yet human and sensitive work. But it is "just" a colossal Whirlpool wringer of emotions. The three stars are for a few nice, intimate moments. (28.09.2012)

This is the classic attack on emotions that most people will probably enjoy. A person who has suffered a lot tries to help others. They want to put a thick line under everything and leave nothing unresolved. What is it like when someone gives you the gift of a new life? You probably don't expect it. How will you react? Will you be suspicious? Probably yes. This is a topic that could yield an incredible amount of ideas and plots, but the creators have decided for a savior romantic one. Emotions, emotions, emotions. There are so many of them that in the end it left me cold. Oh well. (19.03.2014)

Somehow I wasn’t sure at the beginning why this was all happening and where the whole story was going. For a good hour you don’t know anything for sure. Will’s acting is great and as usual he’s a nice guy. On the other hand the main evil (or bad guy) I see here is a JOB, any kind of job which is waiting for you round every corner and keeps on bothering you constantly via your cell phone. Your job is meant to serve your life, not the other way round. (29.03.2009)

A vibe similar to The Pursuit of Happyness. Here, though, there's also a heartbreaking ending. One of those movies that evokes strong emotions in me. A beautiful and moving script. Will Smith gives the performance of a lifetime and is extremely charismatic. Direction by G. Muccino suits him perfectly. (14.02.2011)