Seven Pounds is an emotional drama concerning an IRS agent whose quest for redemption is unexpectedly complicated after he inadvertently falls in love. Ben Thomas is an IRS agent with a fateful secret. Assuming the identity of his younger brother, Ben sets out in search of redemption. Instead, Ben discovers true love while forever changing the lives of seven complete strangers.

Seven Pounds is the kind of movie that you will either really hate or love. The movie really doesn't leave much middle ground and it is kind of dependent on the person watching the movie and their personality whether they will like the movie or not. If you have the kind of personality that likes to solve mysteries and try and figure things out and don't mind having a little patience for the movie to unfold its secrets you are probably going to love Seven Pounds. I found myself in that category as I really liked the movie and found it highly enjoyable. I see over 300 movies almost any given year and when you see that many movies you come to realize that too many movies are transparent and obvious so it always a joy to find a movie that doesn't feel the need to spoon feed you. To find a movie that allows you to draw a lot of your own conclusions and a movie that makes you think and try and figure it out before it finally reveals itself to you.

There is a reason the trailers are so cryptic and when going into the film you are not really sure what you are going to see. The film itself is very cryptic as well, you have to come to know the characters and to try and figure out their motivations before the movie reveals its big secret to you and the reasoning behind all the actions. And by being cryptic and by forcing the audience to explore the natures of its characters it builds a wonderful world that draws you and that you almost feel a part of. You come to understand the characters, you come to care for them and you want to know what is going to happen to them and where the movie is finally going to take you.

The basis of the story is very simple but it is wrapped in so many layers of why and that is what makes the movie good. I mean anyone can help seven strangers. Anyone can go out of their way to improve the lives of those around them but for many of us you have to ask the question why. Why is he helping that man? Why is he willing to do that for a complete stranger? Why is he making this his life quest? It is human nature to think everyone has ulterior motives for everything they do and that is what the movie explores the conundrum of why someone would go out of their way to help a complete stranger and the effects that help has on their lives.

I really like Will Smith and he seems to have this pattern now where he does a blockbuster followed by a much more thought provoking and deep character movie. We had Hancock this year your mindless blockbuster popcorn film now we are getting the more though provoking character driven movie. He gives the same kind of haunted performance he gave in the Pursuit of Happyness but he doesn't benefit from the fact that the movie isn't based on a true story like the Pursuit of Happyness was. It makes the performance a little more hollow and takes a little away from the movie. But he does build a lot of chemistry between himself and Rosario Dawson who ends up playing the haunted lover that could end up redeeming him. Seven Pounds is a movie that you want to have to play detective a little bit to truly enjoy.

Grade: B+