In the beginning of the film Seven Pounds all we know about Ben (Will Smith) is that something terrible has happened in his past, and that he feels responsible for it. That's all. The film is so roundabout and cryptic that it takes half the running time just to figure out the general nature of what's going on. "Seven Pounds" makes a mystery of its lead character and of what he's pursuing, and for a very simple reason:
If the movie were to announce its subject and story in the usual straightforward way, it would seem so ridiculous, far-fetched and borderline distasteful that no one would want to watch it. It might even seem funny.
So director Gabriele Muccino Muccino's task is clear, if difficult - to generate enough magic and to work up just the right mood so as to cast a spell on viewers. That way, when the movie's intentions and meaning are finally made clear, nothing will seem discordant or strange. All will make sense. For the most part, Muccino accomplishes this precise balance.
Read the rest of this review at Mick LaSalle, S.F Chronicle Movie Critic
