Here’s another movie I was waiting for all year. I’ll always get on board for movie telling THIS kind of story.

Again inspired by a true story, a struggling self-employed salesman named Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith (Hitch), looks to get his finances under control by applying for a stock broker’s internship at a San Francisco-based firm.

As Gardner competes for a full-time position, he and his son are evicted, deserted by his wife and homeless for about three and a half months of the 6-month internship.

The picture is extremely well written and well acted by Smith. It goes to great lengths to understand, and help its audience understand, what it means and how it feels to be stone broke.

Italian director Gabe Muccino did an excellent job of capturing the anxiety of Gardner’s situation and the methodical determination his character had in trying to nab the one full time slot.

The movie has a very warming finale, and a very emotional and non-sensationalized climax. It kept it real, which was extremely important for this kind of story.

I adore this kind of film: a man striving to provide for himself and his son instead of relying on others to give him a handout. I think younger audiences will have problems believing this movie. If you not at least 5 years old in 1980, you may not get the truth of this tale. The economy was different in the early ‘80s. $30K a year put you as upper class bracket, whereas $30K a year NOW puts you in a lower class income bracket. It was MORE possible to do what Gardner did in 1981, than it would be for him today. I don’t think he would have survived in the same situation in 2006’s U.S. economy.

However, if you have ever been dirt broke before, you should be sucked in by this story and moments like the $5 Scene as I call it. It is a scene where Gardner, homeless and stressed out, lends his last $5 to an executive board member rushing for a taxis. Gardner needed to keep appearances to get the job and smooze the higher up, but that $5 means he and his kid have NOTHING to eat with. Smith’s reaction to losing the $5 was priceless and dead on. It was evident the rapper-turned-actor grew up in West Philly without a lot of money.

This movie is great, inspiring and very touching. Go to the cinema. Rent it on DVD. Just see it. It’s important and wonderful.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?