Seven Pounds -- a Review

Yesterday, my son and I braved the icy sidewalks and went to see the new Will Smith Movie, Seven Pounds. The trailers begin with Smith's voice over declaring, "In seven days, God created the world, and in seven seconds I shattered mine."

But how? This movie starts at the end, with Ben Thomas (Smith's character) making a 911 call from his motel room to report a suicide -- his own. What follows is a series of flashbacks.

The first half hour or so is kind of confusing. One minute you see Will with his wife at a beautiful beach house, the next he is at a hospital as an IRS agent looking to audit a terminally ill patient, or harassing a blind customer service rep for apparently no good reason. We also see him giving some sort of presentation at an aeronautics company. But I thought he worked for the IRS?

But even through all this he is telling people he can grant favors, but he wants to make sure the people deserve it first. Is Ben Thomas abusing the power vested in him by the IRS, or is there something more to it than that?

My one word of advice while watching this movie-- pay attention. Because what is confusing in the beginning will find a way to fit together by the end. A bittersweet end, that stays with you for a while even after you leave the theater.