There are a few gut-wrenching scenes in “The Pursuit of Happyness” that will leave you and your kids feeling anything but joyful.
The one that got to me, and pretty much everyone who saw it in late 2006, was the moment Will Smith’s homeless character had to find refuge with his young son in a public bathroom.
Smith’s life has sunk as low as it can go, yet he clings to the most important thing he’s ever had: his child. The boy, secure in the feeling his dad will work things out as adults always do, starts to fall asleep.
An angry person outside pounds on the bathroom door, yelling to get in. A tearful Smith jams his foot against the door, determined to protect the family he has left and hoping against hope this will be a turnaround moment.
Scenes like that might encourage you to keep the kids away from “Pursuit of Happyness,” but I think it’s a terrific film for most kids older than about 10. It tells the real-life story of Chris Gardner, a failed salesman who eventually made it as a stockbroker and created a decent life for his beloved son.
Yes, it’s a movie with painfully sad echoes. And what better way to open a window for discussing America’s current economic situation with your family? With unemployment nearing 10 percent, there are many stricken families scrambling to avoid Gardner’s lowest moments.
“The Pursuit of Happyness.”
Rated: PG-13, for language and generally mature subject matter
Best suited for: Families watching together with tweens and teens, ready to talk about economic hard times
