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Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness
Dora Rabb
Liberty University
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Movie Review: Pursuit of Happyness
The Review
The movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, was produced in 2015 by Will Smith, Todd Black,
Jason Blumenthal, James Lassiter, and Steve Tisch, and was directed by Gabrielle Muccino. The
movie was based on a true story about Christopher Gardner and his family’s financial struggles
that led to Chris and his son becoming homeless. Prior to becoming homeless, Chris invested all
the money he had in bone density scanners thought to be the best medical equipment of its kind,
but it proved to be useless because no one seen to want a bone density scanner. As finances
became tighter, Chris’ wife left him, but Chris kept his son, and together they struggled without
suitable housing and with a limited supply of food.
While still in an apartment, Christ agreed to paint the apartment as payment toward late
rent. Chris had applied for an internship at Dean Witter, and as fate would have it, he was granted
an interview. The night prior to his interview, while painting the apartment, he was arrested and
spent the night in jail. Determined to not miss the interview, Chris went to Dean Witter, covered
in paint, told some funny story, but was selected for the internship program that did not offer any
pay. However, Chris accepted the unpaid training position. The internship was intense,
competitive, but most of all, humbling. Nevertheless, Chris performed at his very best.
While training at Dean Witter, Chris meets other influential businessmen, but his hard
work and determination to make a life for himself and his son, was noticed by those who could
make a difference. While training, he and his son became homeless, lived in shelters, moved
from place to place, but eventually he was able to sell all the scanners. One day while playing
basketball with his son, his son shared his dream of playing basketball one day. Chris’ replay to
his son was not encouraging, but Chris was wise and realized the effect his words could have on
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his son’s future. In an effort to speak positively and supportively to his son, Chris said to his son,
“never let somebody tell you that you can’t do something, not even me. If you got a dream you
have to protect it. People can’t do something themselves and they want to tell you that you can’t
do it. You want something, go get it period (Producers Smith, Black, Blumenthal, Lassiter, &
Tisch and Director Muccino, 2015)”. Chris went after his dream. He worked hard as an intern,
and one day he was call into the conference room where sat all the top executives. Chris had
made it, and he was offered a paid position as a broker at Dean Witter.
Coaching Implications
The movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, is a great real-life example a coach can use to
demonstrate courage, determination, and perseverance. Like Chris, clients can realistically look
at where they are currently, but pursue their dreams for a better future. This movie is appropriate
for coaching conversations because many clients are stuck in dead-end careers and life situations
that are not producing the return the client expected from the onset, and they feel stuck and in a
rut. Because the movie is about a real person, a coach can point out the mindset and character
traits demonstrated in Chris Gardner. Chris’ hard work, determination, and passion to become a
stock broker, created the opportunity for Chris to attain his desired future.
Several coaching techniques were utilized throughout the movie. One technique that
stood out was portions of the SWOT analysis mentioned by Angela Dunbar (2010) in her book,
Essential Life Coaching Skills. SWOT, according to Dunbar (2010), involves the client’s reality
now, and Chris was faced with the reality that if he did not make some changes, he and his son
would be living in the street. Chris analyzed his strengths and weaknesses. His strength was in
the belief that he could sell the bone density scanner, but the weakness was finding interested
medical professionals willing to purchase the machine. He put his life savings into the machines
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which was evidence of his belief in his ability to find buyers for his produce, but unfortunately
Chris underestimated the needs and desires of his potential buyers. There were many factors
surrounding Chris’ circumstance that were beyond his control, so he had to map out a plan that
would lead to an opportunity that would create a different environment for himself and his son.
From the components of this technique, Chris conceived the idea that given the opportunity, he
could become a stockbroker. Another major component of this technique that worked for Chris
was Chris’ ability to resist the thoughts of failure, and he did not let fear of the other applicants’
qualifications keep him from moving toward his goal. Chris pursued his dream and eventually
landed an internship at Dean Witter, one of the largest, most prestigious, and prosperous
brokerage firms in the area where Chris lived. Chris finally fully realized his dream when he was
offered a full-time paid position at Dean Witter.
In this week’s class video presentation, “Advanced Coaching Techniques: Blindspots and
Breakthroughs”, by the American Association of Christian Counselors [AACC] (n.d.), Georgia
Shaffer shared techniques that Chris could have used earlier in his business pursuits. Unknown to
Chris, he had blindspots concerning the bone density scanners because never presented facts
concerning the demand for such equipment. Chris also overestimated his ability, resources, and
contacts that would be needed to quickly sell his products, and according to Shaffer [AACC]
(n.d.), “people who overestimate skills are the ones who get themselves into more trouble”. No
situation is without conflicts, but Christ and his wife did not utilize what Shaffer [AACC] (n.d.)
called, “productive conflicts”. Because the couple did not utilize this technique, tension
escalated, and the marriage dissolved. Fortunate for Chris, he did not give in to the situation. He
formulated a new plan and moved forward and became a successful broker. Chris was able to see
beyond homelessness and lack of money. He saw an opportunity and took a chance and won.
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Personal/Professional Implications
While my three children and I have never been completely homeless, we have been
experienced living in one room. I thank God that we found a place I could afford for that season
of difficulty in my life. My temporary home was tiny, but it was home for a little while. Relating
to Chris” story is not difficult because I can also remember wondering where our next meal
would come from, but God always provided. Like Chris ‘wife, my husband, at the time, decided
to detour from the marriage to pursue his own interests. I am not angry now because I can see
how God has used every difficult situation and circumstance in my life to mold me into the
person I am today. I am compassionate and empathetic toward people experiencing the
challenges of daily life, especially single mothers. I have also developed, with God’s help and
direction, a passion for pre-marital couples. My future is brighter than I ever could have
imagined.
Personally, and professionally, I finally understand the need for a coach to help me get
unstuck and to push me toward greater possibilities and opportunities. Many years ago, such a
person came into my life. This person was a young minister from New York who had become the
new pastor at my church, and he was a theology professor at Virginia Union Theological
Seminary. This pastor helped me remove the blindspots hindering my ability to see life from a
positive perspective. Ultimately, I was able to re-define goals and purposes from a biblical
perspective, and that caused me to want to be my best. Shaffer [AACC] (n.d.) said, “we do not
know what it is we do not know, and we think we are the exception to the rule”. I did not know
that I could be as successful as anybody else, and I underestimated my abilities and my drive for
a better future with unprecedented possibilities. Like Chris, I saw a possibility and I went after it
and I won. Me, a former high school dropout, now have my high school diploma, a bachelor’s
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degree in business administration, and I am currently working on a second master’s degree.
Winners look adversity in the eyes and refuse to back down, and as Shaffer [AACC] (n.d.) said,
“when people face the pain of reality over fantasy, they will be willing and readier to face the
reality of life, they will be more self-disciplined, and less likely to numb pain”. As I watched
The Pursuit of Happyness, I was reminded to be thankful to God for the path He allowed me to
travel because it’s my story, and God is using my story to shape me into the person He wants me
to be. Professionally, I will use what I learned from Chris Gardner’s pursuit to find happiness in
life as an example that the future is filled with attainable possibilities and opportunities, but we
must do our part by fearlessly stepping out in faith and by trusting God.
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References
Smith, W., Black, T., Blumenthal, J., Lassiter, J., & Tisch, S. (Producers), & Gabrielle Muccino
(Director). (2015). The Pursuit of Happyness. (DVD). California: Columbia Pictures.
Dunbar, A. (2010). Essential life coaching skills. New York, NY: Routledge.
American Association of Christian Counselors (Producer). (n.d.) Advanced coaching techniques:
Blindspots and breakthroughs [Video file]. U.S.: Liberty University
