Q&A USA

감독: Gabriele Muccino

주연: Will Smith/Thandie Newton/Jaden Smith

* This film is based on book ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ by Chris Gardner

의료기기를 판매하는 세일즈맨인 크리스 가드너(윌 스미스)는 물건을 팔기 위해 하루하루 매일 최선을 다하지만 성과는 마음대로 되지 않는다. 결국 아내는 집을 떠나고, homeless 신세가 된다.

절망적이지만 하나뿐인 아들 ‘크리스토퍼’(제이든 스미스)를 위해서 살아남아야 하는 그에게 기회가 찾아 온다. 치열한 경쟁 속에서 반드시 행복해져야 하는 그의 절실한 도전이 시작되는 story.

In 1981, San Francisco salesman Chris Gardner invests his entire life savings in portable bone density scanners, which he demonstrates to doctors and pitches as a handy quantum leap over standard X-rays. The scanners play a vital role in his life. While he is able to sell most of them, the time lag between the sales and his growing financial demands enrage his already bitter and alienated wife Linda, who works as a hotel maid. The financial instability increasingly erodes their marriage, in spite of them caring for Christopher Jr., their soon-to-be five-year-old son. Because Chris has trouble selling the scanners, as they only produce a slightly better picture than a common X-ray but for a much higher price, and hence does not have enough money to make ends meet, Linda has to work double shifts.

While Gardner is trying to sell one of the scanners, he meets Jay Twistle, a manager for Dean Witter Reynolds, and impresses him by solving a Rubik's Cube during a taxi ride. (This incident did not happen in real life. It was added to the movie for artistic reasons.) After Jay leaves, Gardner lacks money to pay the fare and chooses to run instead, causing the driver to angrily chase him into a BART station. Gardner boards a train but loses one of his scanners in the process. His new relationship with Jay earns him the chance to become an intern stockbroker. The day before the interview, Gardner grudgingly agrees to paint his apartment so as to postpone being evicted due to his difficulty in paying the rent. While painting, Gardner is greeted by two policemen at his doorstep, who take him to the station, stating he has to pay for the numerous parking tickets he has accumulated. As part of the sanction, Gardner is ordered to spend the night in jail instead, complicating his schedule for the interview the next morning. He manages to arrive at Dean Witter's office on time, albeit still in his shabby clothes, wearing his undershirt, a gray jacket and jeans, which have paint splashes on them. Despite his appearance, he impresses the interviewers and lands an unpaid internship. He would be among 20 interns competing for a paid position as a stockbroker.

Gardner's unpaid internship does not please Linda, who eventually leaves for New York because she might get a job at her sister's boyfriend's new restaurant. After Gardner bluntly says she is incapable of being a single mom, she agrees that Christopher Jr. will remain with his dad. Gardner is further set back when his bank account is garnished by the IRS for unpaid income taxes, and he and Christopher are evicted. He ends up with only $21.33, resulting in them being homeless, and they are forced at one point to stay in a restroom at a BART station overnight. Other days, he and Christopher spend nights at a homeless shelter, in BART, or, if he manages to procure sufficient cash, at a hotel. Later, Gardner finds the bone scanner that he lost in the BART station earlier and, after repairing it, sells it to a physician, thus completing all his sales of his scanners.

Disadvantaged by his limited work hours, and knowing that maximizing his client contacts and profits is the only way to earn the broker position, Gardner develops a number of ways to make phone sales calls more efficiently, including reaching out to potential high-value customers, defying protocol. One sympathetic prospect who is a top-level pension fund manager even takes Chris and Christopher to a San Francisco 49ers game. Regardless of his challenges, he never reveals his lowly circumstances to his colleagues, even going so far as to lend one of his bosses $5 for cab fare, a sum that he cannot afford. Concluding his six-month-internship, Gardner is called into a meeting with his managers. One of them notes he is wearing a new shirt. Gardner explains it is his last day and thought to dress for the occasion. The manager Martin Frohm smiles and says he should wear another new one tomorrow, letting him know that he has won the coveted full-time position and giving him back his $5 as he promised. Fighting back tears, Gardner shakes hands with them, then rushes to his son's daycare to embrace Christopher. They walk down the street, joking with each other (and are passed by the real Chris Gardner, in a business suit). The epilogue reveals that Gardner went on to form his own multimillion-dollar brokerage firm.

감독: Gabriele Muccino

주연: Will Smith/Rosario Dawson/Michael Ealy/Barry Pepper/Octavia Spencer/Woody Harrelson

본인의 실수로 사랑하는 애인을 포함하여 7명의 삶을 빼앗은 것에 대한 죄책감과 슬픔으로 우울한 하루하루를 보내면서 착한 사람으로 열심히 살아가지만 힘든 삶을 살아가는 사람들 7명을 찾아 빚을 갚아야 한다는 계획을 세운 벤 토마스(윌 스미스)는 선택된 사람들을 위해 간, 골수, 재산 등 자신이 가지고 있는 소중한 것들을 기증한다. 마지막으로 사랑하게 된 에밀리를 위해 심장을 주기위해서 자살까지 이르는 story.

The protagonist of the film dials 911 to report his own suicide. He then narrates how God created the world in seven days, and how he managed to destroy his own in seven seconds. The introduction of the film establishes that the protagonist intends on helping seven people of his own choice. The reason at this point remains unknown. For most encounters, the protagonist poses as an IRS agent to establish a sense of initial trust.

Ezra Turner

At home, the protagonist now known as Ben Thomas (Will Smith) phones a meat delivery company to complain about his order and is put through to Ezra Turner (Woody Harrelson). During the phone call, Ezra is revealed to be a vegetarian as well as blind in both eyes, prompting Ben to viciously humiliate and taunt Ezra, as well as goading him into retaliating. Ezra however calmly thanks Ben for his call and disconnects.

Emily Posa

Ben then travels to a hospital to meet Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson), who has a congenital heart condition which is only complicated by her rare blood type, therefore limiting donor viability. Despite being turned away from the hospital staff, Ben watches Emily sleep later that evening but leaves as she wakes during the night.

Stewart Goodman

Ben arrives at a care home for the elderly to meet with Stewart Goodman, an administrator who brags that he was able to cut expenditure at the home by 17%, but also wishes that his own finances could be as equally impressive. Ben notices Stewart's brand new BMW out front despite Stewart's claim that he is insolvent. Despite this, Stewart pleads for a 6 month extension so that he can pay with his bonus in January, whereas Ben leaves with the matter unresolved. On his way out Ben talks to Inez, an elderly resident whom Stewart was attempting to talk to earlier but was unsuccessful in doing so.

Ben informs Inez that he has the capacity to drastically change Stewart's circumstances for the better, but needs to be sure that he deserves it and that if he is a "good man". Inez tearfully confides with Ben that Stewart has barred the nurses from bathing her, after her request to be put on different medication is refused as the original makes her dizzy. Visibly appalled by this revelation, Ben transports Inez from her room to the bathrooms whilst Stewart attempts to perform damage control. Ben angrily demands Stewart show his patients better respect, and ultimately denies his request there and then for an extension.

Connie Tepos

Ben later meets with Holly (Judyann Elder), a child services employee to ask her the name of someone who is in dire need of help, but is too proud to ask. Holly directs Ben's attention to Connie Tepos, a Latin immigrant whose boyfriend beats her regularly, and almost killed her in the previous year. Connie is too scared of repercussions to press charges, leaving Holly powerless to help. Ben travels to Connie's home still posing as an IRS agent, but upon revealing that he knows of her genuine situation Connie demands he leaves. Ben leaves his calling card just in case she changes her mind.

Several days later, a scared and desperate Connie calls Ben to accept his help. Ben arrives momentarily and realizes that her boyfriend has beaten her again. Ben gifts her the deed to his beach house, to provide her and her children a safe home.

George and Nicholas

George (Bill Smitrovich), is the coach of a junior hockey team who had also arranged partial scholarships for some of his players to attend College. George also has kidney failure, prompting Ben to donate his own kidney as a reward for George's good nature. Nicholas (Quintin Kelly) is a younger patient at the same hospital George is at. By chance, Ben decides to donate his bone marrow to Nicholas to help with his treatment.

Ben meets with Emily several times over at her home, he establishes a bond with her Great Dane 'Duke'. Ben asks Emily why she would choose such a large animal, to which Emily responds that the average life span of a Great Dane is seven years, and that they commonly suffer from heart problems. Emily considers that she chose to take care of something else as opposed to always being taken care of. During the pair's final meeting where Emily cooks Ben dinner, the two finally share a passionate kiss after having long established feelings for each other.

During the evening, the "real" Ben Thomas (Michael Ealy) shows up outside, and demands that "Tim", his brother who was impersonating as "Ben" return his IRS credentials. Tim attempts to leave, but ends up spending the night with Emily. The two play a game of "What If?" With Emily wondering if whether her pager will go off - signalling that a donor has been found for her. Tim wonders if they would both eventually get married and have children together. Emily eventually falls asleep. Tim leaves and heads to the hospital where Emily is being treated to ask her doctor the chances of finding a suitable donor. When the doctor reveals these chances to be almost impossible, Tim decides to call Dan Morris (Barry Pepper), his life long best friend to announce that "it's time".

Returning to his motel room, Tim makes two final phone calls. The first goes to Ezra, the blind vegetarian that Tim verbally abused over the phone. Tim profusely apologizes for his actions, but pleads with Ezra that he had to ensure he was a decent person by attempting to get the better of him. Tim then calls 9-1-1 as introduced in the film, before filling a bathtub with ice water. As he is entering the bathtub, Tim reminisces about the night that changed him forever. Driving a Chevrolet Corvette with his wife as passenger, Tim carelessly texts whilst driving, and very nearly collides with an oncoming car. Swerving violently, Tim collides with a Ford E-Series van, causing both cars to roll violently and kill the six occupants of the van as well as Tim's wife. Back in the present, Tim tips a bucket into the water containing a box jellyfish. Its tentacles wrap around Tim's arm and deliver a sting which causes a quick but excruciatingly painful death.

Having committed suicide in ice water, Tim has cautiously preserved his vital organs - his heart in particular which is donated to Emily. The real Ben meets with Emily, and tells her that a year following the accident he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and required a double-lobe transplant which Tim came to his aid for. Six months later, Tim then gave part of his liver to Holly, the child services employee seen earlier in the film. Emily attends a church session where Ezra is playing piano to a children's choir. As the performance ends, it is shown that Ezra is now able to see as he congratulates the choir on their singing. Emily makes contact with Ezra, but is so overwhelmed by seeing Ben's eyes in Ezra that she begins to break down into tears. Ezra, seeing her scar from heart surgery, realizes she is Emily, and the two share an emotional hug.