Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds (Will Smith) follows the life of Ben Thomas, an IRS auditer who seems to enjoy stalking and judging people. Who is Ben Thomas, and why is he doing this? The film is filled with mystery. First we see Ben chewing out a blind steak salesman for being an overly nice virgin. Then we see him slam a nursing home manager's head into a window for not giving a dying lady a bath to get her to take her pills. Then we see him meet his best friend and remind him to fulfill his promise. What the heck is going on? We are left to wonder.

Ben believes that he has the power to change people's lives for the better. He acts like a mysterious angel, trying to decide who he is going to bless and who he is going to judge. Does any of us have the right to do that? Should we make decisions like that? Should these decisions be made completely impartially? What happens if you fall in love with someone you are trying to judge? Your opinion may change by the end of the film.

One aspect of the film that stuck out to me visually is the jellyfish. Early in the film we hear of Ben's childhood, and how he was told that the box jellyfish was the most dangerous animal in the world. Yet its beauty is astounding. The juxtaposition of the two drives the meaning of the film.

Seven Pounds was a beautiful story of....well, I don't want to ruin it. It makes it hard to write a review on a film whose meaning is completely tied up in the suprise ending. Let's just say that it was very enjoyable, beautifully done, and emotionally powerful without being cheesy.