Seven pounds - Too slow

Seven Pounds opens like a jigsaw puzzle, pieces you want to put together to see the bigger picture.

What's it about:

Seven Pounds opens like a jigsaw puzzle, pieces you want to put together to see the bigger picture.

Unfortunately, the end result isn't that flattering. Here, Smith takes on one of the most unconvincing roles of his career a guy connecting the loose ends of his life to make a difference in the lives of others. Doesn't exactly make sense, but in a way that's where the film veers from being a soppy romantic drama to dishing out sermons on how to make the most of this lifetime. Ben (Smith) after losing his loved one in a freak accident decides to devote his life to giving second chances to those struggling with issues in their lives. Adding colour to his life is Emily Posa (Dawson) a cardiac patient who experiences love only to lose it near the end.

What's hot:
Rosario Dawson as Emily is stark and impressive. She commands your attention even in the scenes written for Will Smith. Her portrayal of a woman clinging on to the last spark of hope is touching.

What's not:
Pretentious is the first word that came to my mind 20 minutes into the flick. When you know the director is framing close-ups and using Mozart in the background to exhaust your tear ducts, the effort is bound to fall flat. Seven Pounds tries too hard. The dialogues are contrived almost cheesy to the extent of making you squirm in your seats. We are told the end even before the plot begins. Smith looks tired and weary. Knowing the fate of the movie hangs on his shoulders, he tries hard to give as many facial expressions as he can.

What to do:
There was scope for the story to take flight and say something meaningful, but it drags its feet too long for you to even bother.

Seven Pounds
''
Dir: Gabriele Muccino
Cast: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson