Review: Seven Pounds

Compassion: it’s a word defined as a feeling of deep sympathy for another’s misfortune with a strong desire to relieve their suffering. It’s the word that is expressed throughout Will Smith’s newest film, “Seven Pounds.”

Will Smith plays the role of an impersonating IRS agent, Ben Thomas, who uses his false identity, not to collect people’s taxes, but to find people in an extreme need of a miracle.

Throughout the film, Thomas uses his abilities as an IRS agent to find people whose lives couldn’t really get much worse.

He helps a large variety of people in need, from a boyfriend abused Hispanic lady, to a little boy in dire need for a bone marrow transplant.

Thomas even encounters Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson), a woman that he falls in love with but whose heart is failing.

Later in the film Smith’s real character is unveiled when the film proves that he stole his IRS credentials from his brother, the actual Ben Thomas.

Smith’s acting makes the compassionate side of him somewhat monotone, making the movie seem rather fabricated; however, the main feeling of pity towards the people in need is apparent.

His dramatic mood swings of anonymously bagging on a lonely blind man over the phone just because he was blind, to crying right after he hangs up, causes the viewers to question his true intentions throughout the movie.

Not until the near the end of the film, is a flashback of Thomas’ memory shown illustrating when he caused the death of seven people in a car accident.

Overall, it’s one of Smith’s best works at touching viewers hearts, and it gives one of the strongest senses of pathos in “seven” different ways.

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