Okay. I’m back from the movie theatre and the results are in. Let me say first that Will Smith…I just love him. His acting is superb and I just know that he is going to get that Oscar one day…I can feel it. Having said that, I enjoyed Seven Pounds, but I still don’t know why it is called Seven Pounds. It should have been called Fifty-Seven Pounds, ’cause it was heavy. It was touching and sad. I didn’t give way to tears but my eyes welled up. It was deep and thought provoking, although I had figured it out pretty early on (can’t fool me, Will). I definitely enjoyed Michael Ealy. Love him. Miss him. Want to see more of him on screen. So it’s definitely worth seeing, not necessarily one you want to have as a mainstay for your DVD, unless sadness is your mood of choice.
Now, about Marly. *sigh* Where do I begin? I think I was low on tears in Seven Pounds because I used most of them up in Marly & Me. Your kids will want to go because of the dog antics shown in the commercials. But this is for grown folk. It’s about life, love, career, parenting, and yes, Marly. The theatre was a chorus of sniffles and you could see rows of people (it was packed) making sweeping motions over their cheeks–men included. I mean the guy next to me came undone.
It touched me personally as a writer and dog owner. But I think this movie will speak to anyone over 25 who is trying to figure it out or has ever wondered if you were getting it right. This movie made me reflect on how precious life is. And yes, it made me want to appreciate being a pet parent even more. Even when your dog gets off the leash and gets lost in the rain, or when I have to march around in the snow because he can’t find his spot, and being a little more compassionate when those thunder storms come…*sigh* Definitely take your Kleenex. Actually, I used a Bounty paper towel–it’s more absorbent. Gotta go. Somebody is ready for their afternoon walk.