8.0/10
331,780
610 user 200 critic

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

PG-13 | | Biography, Drama | 15 December 2006 (USA)
Trailer
2:24 | Trailer

On Disc

at Amazon

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor.

Director:

Writer:

(as Steven Conrad)
Reviews
Popularity
1,053 ( 73)
Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 24 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Seven Pounds (2008)
Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

A man with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Director: Gabriele Muccino
Stars: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson
Hitch I (2005)
Comedy | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

While helping his latest client woo the fine lady of his dreams, a professional "date doctor" finds that his game doesn't quite work on the gossip columnist with whom he's smitten.

Director: Andy Tennant
Stars: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James
I Am Legend (2007)
Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.

Director: Francis Lawrence
Stars: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan
127 Hours (2010)
Adventure | Biography | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

An adventurous mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.

Director: Danny Boyle
Stars: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara
Cast Away (2000)
Adventure | Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

A FedEx executive must transform himself physically and emotionally to survive a crash landing on a deserted island.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Paul Sanchez
Drama | Fantasy | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

Director: David Fincher
Stars: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton
The Terminal (2004)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

An eastern immigrant finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chi McBride
Blood Diamond (2006)
Adventure | Drama | Thriller
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X  

A fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond.

Director: Edward Zwick
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly
Hancock (2008)
Action | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.4/10 X  

Hancock is a superhero whose ill considered behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when one person he saves helps him improve his public image.

Director: Peter Berg
Stars: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman
I, Robot (2004)
Action | Mystery | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

In 2035, a technophobic cop investigates a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity.

Director: Alex Proyas
Stars: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood
Biography | Drama | Thriller
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X  

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

Director: Paul Greengrass
Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman
Men in Black (1997)
Comedy | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

A police officer joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extra terrestrial interactions on planet earth.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Christopher (as Jaden Christopher Syre Smith)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
World's Greatest Dad
...
Chinese Maintenance Worker (as George K. Cheung)
David Michael Silverman ...
Doctor at First Hospital
...
...
Ferrari Owner
Joyful Raven ...
...
Edit

Storyline

Based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. Gardner has invested heavily in a device known as a "Bone Density scanner". He feels like he has made these devices. However, they do not sell as they are marginally better than the current technology at a much higher price. As Gardner tries to figure out how to sell them, his wife leaves him, he loses his house, his bank account, and credit cards. Forced to live out in the streets with his son, Gardner is now desperate to find a steady job; he takes on a job as a stockbroker, but before he can receive pay, he needs to go through 6 months of training, and to sell his devices. Written by John Wiggins

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Genres:

Biography | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

15 December 2006 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Untitled Chris Gardner Project  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$26,541,709 (USA) (15 December 2006)

Gross:

$162,586,036 (USA) (23 February 2007)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "bible" the interns were told to sleep, eat, and live with is the 1934 edition of "Security Analysis" by Benjamin Graham. See more »

Goofs

When Chris and Christopher are collecting their stuff after being kicked out of the hotel room, Christopher picks up his basketball in a grocery bag. The next time he is seen, he is carrying a garbage bag. See more »

Quotes

[about Chris' bone-density scanner]
Homeless Guy #1: It's a time machine... I know it's a time machine...
Christopher Gardner: [voice-over] This machine in my lap? It is not a time machine.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in HBO First Look: I Am Legend (2007) See more »

Soundtracks

Young Man
(1969)
Written by Mose Allison, Richard Dorfmeister, and Peter Kruder
Performed by Peter Kruder (as Kruder) and Richard Dorfmeister (as Dorfmeister) featuring Mose Allison
Courtesy of G-Stone Recordings
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
The Ultimate Guy Movie
17 December 2006 | by (Boise, Idaho) – See all my reviews

If you ever wanted to see a movie that portrayed what really makes a man, then you must see this movie.

Forget Stalone. Forget Arnold. Forget Bond. Forget all those romantic comedy whimps. Bruce Willis never had to make this many life threatening decisions in Die Hard.

Will Smith gives a better performance of toughness here than he did portraying Muhammed Ali.

This movie is raw. This movie will force you to examine your manhood. See if you can look in the mirror after watching this film.

Fathers, don't let the PG-13 rating fool you. This movie is not for kids. If you let your child see this movie you may regret it. Your child may never be able to look at you the same way again. Your child will wonder why you are not more like Chris Gardner.


34 of 40 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Despicable Movie johny_walker_blacklabel
Was He A Bad Father? danmax67
Great film, illogical plot. Can somebody help me? zuhairi1994
On the test, why did Chris Gardener have an Essay Question? joshua_eash
Capitalist indoctrination? nandoflorestan
So he was like a telemarketer? zuckerkorn
Discuss The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?