Jeez…this might get ugly:
This diabetes-inducing reunion with director Gabriele Muccino (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) also didn’t score any nods from the easily persuaded Broadcast Film Critics Association, not to mention any awards from the L.A. or New York film critics (there were lots of snickers when somebody jokingly nominated Smith at yesterday’s NYFCC meeting, which gives you an idea of the critical reception “Seven Pounds” is likely to receive when it opens, wide, a week from tomorrow). Sony has reportedly embargoed all reviews, even those in the trades, until opening day, supposedly to protect the “mystery” of the fractured narrative. I received some criticism on other blogs for supposedly revealing “spoilers” in our year-end wrap-up in The Post on Sunday, but really, as some commenters on those same blogs pointed out, I wasn’t giving away anything that couldn’t be deduced from looking at the trailers or a careful consideration of what the title “Seven Pounds” is actually referring to. Even with the world’s biggest star, “Seven Pounds” is going to be a very tough sell without nominations or good reviews — it didn’t even make uber quote-whore Shawn Edwards’ 10-best list, which includes “The Express,” “Miracle at St. Anna” and “The Secret Life of Bees” — and an ending … well, I’ll let you figure it out for yourself.
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13 responses to “Lumenick dive-bombs ‘Seven Pounds’”
Was only moderately looking forward to this one but, damn, another disappointment this season.
By the way Kris, if you’re allowed to speak about yet, can you give us some brief thoughts on the film. If not, sorry for asking.
This isn’t a shocker. The Pursuit of Happyness was a good performance swallowed by an atrocious film.
Not really the time to get into yet, Scott. Soon.
I’m not surprised; this smelled awful (like rotting organs?) from the beginning.
My own brief thoughts: flick has some sweet moments (Will Smith and Rosario Dawson have good chemistry), but the plot is a clusterfuck of cloying melodrama and artsy-fartsiness… Think PAY IT FORWARD meets 21 GRAMS.
Ditto, Bryan.
Could this be Smith’s first box office bomb since “Wild Wild West”?
Kyle Smith of the New York Post called Seven Pounds the third best film of the year. I guess people just pick and choose what reviews they want to highlight. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.
Kyle Smith is a massive tool who assigns negative ratings to movies based on how liberal he views their politics to be. Not really the best source to be citing.
Dada: I don’t read the Post but I do read Lumenick’s blog from time to time. So obviously, I didn’t read Smith’s consideration. Nothing “pick and choose” about it.
I’ll still see it. And yes, it is a bit rude to write about this film like this but then again, the studio shouldn’t embargo it like this.
Don’t forget to mention that his co-reviewer said that Seven Pounds was the third best film of 2008… This is just one opinion, most reviews have been quite positive so far… But we’ll se what they say next week…