Seven Pounds Movie Review

In Seven Pounds, Will Smith plays a tormented soul named Ben Thomas and his body is the gift that keeps on giving even from beyond the grave. 

The movie is structured like a mystery, in which the motives of Ben is murky and a little weird at first and then emerge with each new plot. Within the first 20 minutes of the movie, it becomes clear that Ben is auditioning candidates but for what? It appears he wants to make sure these candidates are nice people. This is definately a film of patience. .

Ben, a suicidal IRS agent who raises pet jellyfish and seems to enjoy harassing when not stalking his assigned clients. 

Ben did develop a soft spot against his better judgment for the very beautiful Rosario Dawson playing the girl with the heart conditioned - Emily. Seeing as at any moment her heart could stop from the slightest exertion, I would have expected the director of the movie to have some caution. You know, so it makes sense. She falls head down when she takes her dog out for a walk but later at a scene where she and Will have a real heated sex, nothing happens to her weak heart? I guess sense is not as valued as it once was. 

After sleeping with Rosario, Will returns to his mother and fills his bath with ice and cold water and drops a jellyfish to not only kill himself but make it as absolutely painful as possible. We were treated to a full half a minute of spasmodic agony as his life leaks away from the jellyfish sting. Rosario gets his hear, Woody his eyes. One problem I see is the method of his death - what the toxins in jellyfish stings do to the body.

Seven Pounds is about the noble act of suicide. It teaches us that if we are so depressed that we cannt go on, why not give our body parts to random people who might need them? This way we die knowing that large chunks of our body will be torn free of our rotting cadavers and pushed into the chest and heads of the needy. 

Does one get to choose who gets your organs after death? Maybe with a Will?

I love Will Smith - but in this movie, I found Will's performance too be a little well awkward. Ben seem to squint and stammers for reasons that are unclear. Is his mind failing due to loss of blood? 

I saw this movie tonight and I think its one of those movies either you get it or you don't.