In defense of "Seven Pounds"

A few months ago (August 9, to be precise) the Contentious Introvert did some serious ragging on the movie "Dark Knight." I thought then and I think now that the movie was an implausible, over-the-top, over-hyped special effects disaster--a cacophony of nothing. Among other things, I didn't think much of Batman's voice; I didn't think Maggie Gyllenhaal had sufficient romantic gravitas, and I thought the ending sucked because it was too ambiguous. As is often the case, Contentious Man was swimming upstream on this one: many critics adored the movie, yet here was some yahoo from Minneapolis (me) who has zero film credentials offering his mighty but contrary opinions.

And now, once again, the Introvert may be swimming upstream a little bit. Although some critics have given high praise to the movie "Seven Pounds," other critics have torn it to shreds and are regarding it as one of the very worst movies to be released in this year or any year. Well, although it's not a perfect movie perhaps, I am here to say that it is so much better crafted than "Dark Knight," so much more nuanced than "Dark Knight," and so much more emotionally compelling than "Dark Knight" that I am inclined to put the movie on my All-Time Top Ten list (maybe hanging in there at 7th or 8th).

Is the movie implausible? Not compared to many these days (read: ANY action/adventure film for starters), and at least every part of the plot fits together or is foreshadowed in some way. And woe be unto any viewer or critic who pans "Seven Pounds" while simultaneously recommending "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." A guy who keeps getting younger: jeez, THAT'S not implausible now, is it? "Seven Pounds" is also generally more plausible than "24" for the most part; hard to believe but true that we only know six days of Jack Bauer's entire life--but what a six days they are!

Is the movie "melodramatic"? I consider that a cheap shot, and a convenient way to dismiss the fact that it does pull on the heartstrings. But dammit--I don't really see anything here that's maudlin, mawkish, saccharine, or even super-manipulative. "Seven Pounds" is a distinctive and memorable story that actually gets a person to reflect and to feel, and I think Will Smith and Rosario Dawson are believable and first-rate. And yes, I tried to fight back the tears at the end, but I couldn't; that alone says a lot about the very real and legitimate emotions that this movie taps into. And unlike leaving the theater after "Dark Knight"--when I just felt numb from all the craziness--when I departed after "Seven Pounds," I felt a little more human, in the best sense of that word. So, the Contentious Introvert puts his thumb way up for "Seven Pounds." (Take THAT, you wise-ass critics!)