“Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something.”
“You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.”
Pursuit of Happiness Plot Summary
The Pursuit of Happiness– Inspired by the true life story of Chris Gardner. The Pursuit of Happiness is among the most inspiring movies in recent years. A single man (Will Smith) bringing up his young son(Jaden Smith) is reduced to living in train station bathrooms and homeless shelters while attempting to sell overpriced medical equipment to doctors and landing the one available employment position with the brokerage firm Dean Witter Reynolds.
In 1981, in San Francisco, the smart salesman and family man Chris Gardner places the family savings in Osteo National bone-density scanners, an apparatus doubly as expensive as an x-ray machine but with a somewhat clearer image. This white elephant financially breaks the family, bringing difficulties to his relationship with his wife Linda, who leaves him and moves to New York City where she has taken a job in a pizza shop. Their son Christopher stays with Chris because he and his wife both know that he will be able to take better care of him.
Without income or a wife, but committed to his son, Chris sees a opportunity to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, offering a brighter career at the end of a six-month unpaid training period. During that time period, Chris goes through a lot of adversity personally and professionally.
When he thinks he’s “stable,” he finds that he’s lost $600 when the government takes the last bit of money in his bank account for taxes. He’s rendered homeless because he can’t pay his rent. He’s forced to stay in a bathroom at a train station and must scramble from work daily to the Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, which provides shelter to the homeless. He must leave work daily so that he’s there by 5 in the evening along with his son so to be guaranteed of a place to sleep. He’s seen carrying his suitcase to work because he doesn’t have a home. At work, there are 19 other candidates for the one position.
One day, he’s called into an office and in it were the heads of Dean Witter. They tell him that he has been a first-class trainee and that tomorrow will be his 1st day as a broker. Chris struggles to suppress tears. Outside he begins to cry as the busy individuals of San Francisco walk past him. He hurries to his son’s daycare, squeezing him and knowing that everything is going to be o.k.
In the end, Chris Gardner’s relentless perseverance and unwavering love for his son culminate in a moment of triumph. Despite facing overwhelming trials and countless setbacks, Chris’s determination to survive and secure a better future for his family leads him to win the sole employment position at Dean Witter. The poignant moment when Chris suppresses tears of joy and rushes to embrace his son, knowing that everything will be alright, highlights the profound emotional journey he has undertaken.
The concluding scene, where Chris walks with his son while the real Chris Gardner makes a cameo, serves as a powerful reminder of the true story behind the film. It emphasizes that success is not just about achieving professional milestones but also about the personal growth and resilience developed along the way.
The Pursuit of Happiness, marked by Will Smith’s remarkable performance and the movie’s commercial success, encapsulates a story of hope, determination, and the enduring bond between a father and his child. It leaves the audience with an inspiring message: no matter the obstacles, with perseverance and love, one can overcome even the most daunting challenges.
