"Seven Pounds" a Slow Dance that Makes the Eyes Heavy

Running Time: 2 hr. 3 min.

Release Date: December 19th, 2008 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality.

Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino

JJ Rating: B

Ben Thomas (Will Smith) feels the need to do something good for several people. The reason he does so is what is so secretive that by the time it happens you either figure it out or you don't care as much once you do. Seven Pounds.

I enjoyed the idea of the film. It's very creative in thought and poorly planed out in execution. The idea could have come to fruition in a different manner. Something would have kept the secret of what he was going to do until the end and then show the shocker of what he had done and it would have been more effective. As well as shortening the film by 35 minutes. There are long periods of nothing that really do zilch and cause me to have heavy eyelids. I do so much during the day as is that by the time I get to the movies I'm already mentally exhausted and if the film doesn't engage me I will engage in rest.

I got to see a calmer Woody Harrelson. He and Rosario Dawson have a scene in the film and that scene was not nearly as powerful as it could have been. I can't point out if it was their fault or direction or the way the scene was shot, but the whole emotional charge it should have had was lost before the scene even ended. It was not good.

Will Smith is a great actor and has such a wide range. I think that he was outstanding in this film and felt he did his best, but the material was not that good to work with. It was just an unnecessary length and that is unfortunate.

There's not much more I can say because if I do the film will be ruined for those that wish to see it. I would suggest not seeing it because it was far too long to enjoy, but there are those that will like it. That's how that works. The trailer was made perfectly. Did not reveal what transpires in the film. I love that. I like not knowing everything. Fantastic trailer for that and they should make all trailers like that, that's for sure.

I don't feel I will ever see this again. It got a B mainly because Will Smith is great, the film idea is creative and different than what is already out there and that I had to figure out what was going on. It could have been much higher if it were shorter, did not reveal so much towards the end and gave me a surprise camera reveal. I think the build up just took too long, which allowed me to figure out what had transpired before it did. It was still interesting, just not nearly as much as it could have been.

Seven Pounds was like a slow song at a school dance. The song is so slow that you can't even dance to it. Seven Pounds was paced so slow I couldn't get into it. I would be marching ahead of the film and then took a nap so that it could catch up with me. Be well rested if you plan on seeing this one.