FraudBy John DeSando, WCBE's "It's Movie Time"
Ben Thomas: "It is within my power to drastically change his circumstances, but I don't want to give that man a gift he doesn't deserve."
Maudlin, mawkish, sentimental, sappy, criminal?Seven Pounds has all the characteristics of a blockbuster on Lifetime Channel. It is saved by the serviceable acting of Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, both of whom are complicit in this grand tearjerker of 2008 but who underplay their sentimental parts to make them palatable in the face of overwhelming evidence of emotional fraud.
Although Kevin Costner or Robin Williams in their super-sensitive periods could have played the role of Ben Thomas, an IRS agent hell-bent on a do-good spree, Smith was the right choice, for he brings a sincerity those two actors never pull off in their teary roles. I'm sorry I can't be more specific, but the film relies on incremental disclosures any one of which could tip off the entire film.
I am therefore allowed to praise distributed exposition, that staple of thrillers and weak romances where the clues are doled out incrementally until you've figured it all out long before the denouement. Greek drama relied on the device, and American audiences have benefited in the "suspense" category since the beginning of film. As my friends know, although The Crying Game hooked me 15 years ago with its slow revelations until midway when the secret was revealed, Neil Jordan made the resolution every bit as interesting as the build up. Not so in Seven Pounds: the resolution is predictable to a fault.
Though not really a thriller, Seven Pounds distributes its information in fair measure, rewarding attentive moviegoers with a feeling of accomplishment as they figure it out long before the hypergooey ending.
Oh, yes, I said "criminal" in the first sentence. I was referring to director Gabriel Muccino and writer Grant Nieporte's tapping Americans' need at this time to do something good for people rather than invade them or make them bankrupt. The obvious do good/feel good syndrome that Hollywood is so good at has its apotheosis in Seven Pounds.
Enough already?even I caught a tear rolling down my ancient cheek.
John DeSando teaches film at Franklin University and co-hosts WCBE 90.5's It's Movie Time, which can be heard streaming at http://publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/ppr/index.shtml Friday at 3:01 pm and 8:01 pm and on demand anytime at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/arts.artsmain Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.RR.com