Seven Pounds (12A)Rating 3/5

Feb 10 2009 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

BIG SCREEN superstar Will Smith continues his tilt at world domination in Gabriele Muccino’s moving effort Seven Pounds.

Coming straight off the back of his role as one-man wrecking machine Hancock, 40 year-old Smith gives the sort of considered showing that illustrates there is more to him than just his trademark on-screen charisma.

Enigmatic and brooding, he plays moonlighting tax inspector Ben Thomas, a man who uses his ill-gotten status to bestow gifts on a group of individuals who, he feels, deserve a lucky break.

Inevitably this leads to some romance for the former Bad Boys star, whose attempts to help as many people as possible lead him into the arms of the terminally ill Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson).

Their relationship injects some lighter notes into the otherwise sombre, slightly morbid, action.

But the film is let down en route to its moving finale as director Muccino seems to favour tugging the heart strings over progressing the plot.

Particularly tiresome is Woody Harrelson’s character Erza, a blind piano teacher whose fate is blatantly obvious from the outset.

Despite this, the piece is saved by Smith whose performance continues his progression from Fresh Prince to Hollywood royalty.

Johnathon Menzies