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"SEVEN POUNDS" (2008) (Will Smith, Rosario Dawson) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Moderate Heavy Moderate None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None *Mild Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy *None Extreme Heavy Heavy QUICK TAKE: Drama: An IRS field agent carries out his agenda to assist a hand-selected group of people who desperately need help, not realizing he's going to fall for one of them, thus complicating his plan. PLOT: Ben Thomas (WILL SMITH) is an IRS field agent who's carrying out an unofficial agenda to assist a hand-selected group of people who are in desperate need of help. While his quest seems admirable on the surface, his brother (MICHAEL EALY) doesn't approve, at least of how he's going about carrying it out, while Ben's childhood friend, Dan (BARRY PEPPER), understands what he's doing, but doesn't want to see his buddy go through the last part of his elaborate plan. Undeterred, Ben sets out to help the likes of piano player and customer service phone rep Ezra Turner (WOODY HARRELSON) who's gone blind, while single mom Connie Tepos (ELPIDIA CARRILLO) needs help out of an abusive relationship. There are a few others as well, who Ben has already been helping, but the person who ends up affecting him the most is Emily Posa (ROSARIO DAWSON). She once ran her own printing business, but her failing heart has left her on the donor list, and her worsening condition means her time is running out. After Ben meets Emily but doesn't let on about his real purpose in interacting with her, the two start to fall for each other, with Emily realizing that Ben, who's reluctant to talk about himself and a pivotal event in his past, might just need some help himself. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Younger kids probably won't, but teens who are fans of anyone in the cast might be interested. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: To avoid spoilers, not all characteristics are noted below: WILL SMITH plays a former engineer turned IRS Treasury agent who's carrying out a secret agenda to help others who are in need. While not everyone approves of his plan, he selflessly continues on his quest (that's designed to compensate for something bad that happened in his past), but unexpectedly ends up falling for (and apparently sleeping with) Emily. He uses some profanity. ROSARIO DAWSON plays a young woman who once ran a printing business, but must now contend with a deteriorating heart condition that's left her on the donor recipient list with little time left. Despite that, she's generally cheery toward Ben for whom she falls and apparently sleeps with. WOODY HARRELSON plays a piano player and customer service phone rep who's gone blind and receives help from Ben. MICHAEL EALY plays Ben's brother who's been trying to find and contact him about his actions, part of which he doesn't approve. BARRY PEPPER plays Ben's long-time friend who's agreed to go along with his plan, but doesn't like how it will eventually play out. ELPIDIA CARRILLO plays a proud single mother in an abusive relationship who initially refuses help from Ben, but then changes her mind after another (unseen) beating. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 2 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. There's non-explicit, but sexually related dialogue, while an unmarried couple fools around and then apparently has sex (off-screen). Some flashback footage of a traffic accident has bloody results, while a human heart is seen during a transplant operation. There's an unconventional but still effective suicide scene that might inspire depressed kids to copy it (or use another form), while physical abuse occurs off-screen and there's some brief physical contact. There's brief alcohol content, bad attitudes are present or referenced, and tense family material is present, as are various thematic elements. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's handheld camera footage in the film that becomes more pronounced and bouncy in the second half. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see a flashback to Ben's wife with a glass of wine. Ben and Emily have what appears to be wine by them with dinner. BLOOD/GORE Connie has a bruised face, presumably from her boyfriend beating her (unseen). We see partial flashback images of Ben rushing to his wife following their car crash, and the quick and shaky views show that both are bloody. We see another flashback to the fatal traffic accident where Ben rushes up to his bloody and apparently dead wife lying on the street. We see a just-removed human heart (bloody, etc.) from a donor's body, and then in the recipient's chest cavity (also bloody/gory, but with a limited and somewhat distant view of that). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Ben acts meanly toward Ezra on the phone (the former calling the latter who's a customer service phone rep), including about him being blind ("You can't see sh*t") and his sexual experience ("Have you ever had sex?"). Ezra keeps his composure and Ben seems upset with himself after hanging up, but we later learn this was just a test of Ezra's overall demeanor. Ben visits a nursing home administrator who's looking for a break concerning him owing money to the IRS (despite having an expensive car parked outside). Ben later talks to an elderly resident who breaks down and informs him that the administrator is not a good guy. As a result, Ben doesn't give him the break, and instead shoves him by the face backwards, smacking the back of his head into something that shatters (no blood). We hear that Connie's boyfriend tried to kill her, and broke three of her ribs (in the past). Yet, when Ben goes to see her to help (when that man is not there), she's too proud to accept any assistance, pretending that nothing has happened, even knowing the situation isn't good for her and her two young kids. Connie has a bruised face, presumably from her boyfriend beating her (unseen). We hear that a person has been impersonating a government official. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling and/or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We hear and then see Ben calling 911, stating that he needs an ambulance and reporting a suicide. When asked who the victim is, he states it's him. Emily feels faint and then passes out, falling to the sidewalk and hitting her head hard. Emily gets the bad news that her heart will probably only last her four to six weeks before she'll definitely need a transplant. We see partial flashback images of Ben rushing to his wife following their car crash, and the quick and shaky views show that both are bloody. We see Ben in pain as bone marrow is withdrawn from him (we hear he took no anesthesia, but don't see the actual procedure). We see another flashback to the fatal traffic accident where Ben is self-distracted by his phone or PDA, swerves to get out of the lane of an approaching car, and is then struck by an SUV. Both vehicles end up tumbling, careening and crashing (seen from the outside of both and the inside of the SUV). We then see Ben rush up to his bloody and apparently dead wife lying on the street. Spoiler Alert: A man fills a bathtub with ice, gets into that, and pulls a bucket into the water, spilling a box jellyfish in there with him. It then comes into contact with his arm, and he reacts in pain to the toxic and lethal sting, screaming and writhing about until eventually dying. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You can't see sh*t," "I don't give two sh*ts," "Hell yeah," "Some G*ddamn respect," "You son of a bitch," "Kicking your ass," "I'm gonna keep my ass un-kicked," "That sucks," "You're screwed," "My whole damn life," "What the hell /is that thing/does that mean/happened to you?" "It's a G*ddamn horse," "Where the hell did you come from?" "Tried their damnedest" and "I used to be hot, like, unauditably hot." Connie and her kids bounce up and down on a bed in celebration. We hear that a person has been impersonating a government official. Spoiler Alert: A man fills a bathtub with ice, gets into that, and pulls a bucket into the water, spilling a box jellyfish in there with him. It then comes into contact with his arm, and he reacts in pain to the toxic and lethal sting, screaming and writhing about until eventually dying. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A children's chorus sings the Herman's Hermits song "I'm Into Something Good" that usually contains the line "I knew it couldn't be just a one-night stand" but we didn't catch if that was included in this version or not. PROFANITY At least 2 "s" words, 5 hells, 2 asses, 2 damns, 1 S.O.B., and 2 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY We see Ben in just swim trunks. Ben acts meanly toward Ezra on the phone (the former calling the latter who's a customer service phone rep), all to test his demeanor. He sarcastically asks if Ezra has ever had sex, states he can't imagine him having sex, and later refers to him as a virgin. Ben tells a motel clerk that he needs a room, with that man asking for how many hours (presumably meaning he's used to people using rooms for sex), but Ben says it will be two weeks (with no sexual intent). Dan admits to Ben a long held secret that he lied that he "did it" with a girl in the past, and that they didn't, but he wanted to. Emily shows some cleavage. In the background of a shot, we see bras and panties on mannequins in a store. We see a guy playfully kissing on a woman in a restaurant. Emily jokingly tells Ben that she used to be "hot, like unauditably hot." We see a head and shoulders view of Ben in the shower, followed by him seated in just a towel. Ben and Emily passionately kiss while clothed and standing. After a brief break, that then continues, into her bedroom and onto her bed, with some undressing. He kisses a scar on the top of her breast (we don't see the entire body part), while we see various scars on his torso when his shirt comes off. Sex is implied, but not seen, although we do see them snuggled together in bed after the fact. We see Dan in bed shirtless when a phone call awakens him. A children's chorus sings the Herman's Hermits song "I'm Into Something Good" that usually contains the line "I knew it couldn't be just a one-night stand" but we didn't catch if that was included in this version or not. SMOKING There's no use, but the following material is present; Ben's brother calls, asking if he did something wrong. Ben says no, unless he started smoking again. His brother states he hasn't, and instead has been put on 20 pounds and is healthy. We later hear this is related to the brother having a lung transplant. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Connie's boyfriend tried to kill her, and broke three of her ribs (in the past). Yet, when Ben goes to see her to help (when that man is not there), she's too proud to accept any assistance, pretending that nothing has happened, even knowing the situation isn't good for her and her two young kids. We see partial flashback images of Ben rushing to his wife following their car crash, and the quick and shaky views show that both are bloody. Everything he does in this story is in direct relation to that. Ben's brother is upset with him over the way he's been acting. We see another flashback to the fatal traffic accident where Ben is self-distracted by his phone or PDA, swerves to get out of the lane of an approaching car, and is then struck by an SUV. Both vehicles end up tumbling, careening and crashing (seen from the outside of both and the inside of the SUV). We then see Ben rush up to his bloody and apparently dead wife lying on the street. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Ben states it took God seven days to create the world and that in just seven seconds he shattered his. Ben visits a nursing home administrator who's looking for a break concerning him owing money to the IRS and mentions that his bone marrow transplant didn't take. We hear that Emily has congenital heart failure. The box jellyfish (Ben has one in his place). Organ donors. People facing huge medical bills due to complicated and expensive health conditions. We hear that Connie's boyfriend tried to kill her, and broke three of her ribs (in the past). Yet, when Ben goes to see her to help (when that man is not there), she's too proud to accept any assistance, pretending that nothing has happened, even knowing the situation isn't good for her and her two young kids. The command to live life abundantly. VIOLENCE Ben smashes a chair while upset with himself over the way he had to act toward Ezra as a test. Ben visits a nursing home administrator who's looking for a break concerning him owing money to the IRS (despite having an expensive car parked outside). Ben later talks to an elderly resident who breaks down and informs him that the administrator is not a good guy. As a result, Ben doesn't give him the break, and instead shoves him by the face backwards, smacking the back of his head into something that shatters (no blood). A newspaper clipping lists a traffic accident that killed seven people. There's brief contact in some hockey play, with the players somewhat going at each other and then having to be separated. We see a flashback (presumably Ben's nightmare) to the pivotal car crash where an SUV flips down the road at night, with a view of a child inside also tumbling amongst the broken glass, all shown in slow motion. Emily feels faint and then passes out, falling to the sidewalk and hitting her head hard. Connie has a bruised face, presumably from her boyfriend beating her (unseen). We earlier hear that he tried to kill her and broke three of her ribs (before this story begins). We see another flashback to the fatal traffic accident where Ben is self-distracted by his phone or PDA, swerves to get out of the lane of an approaching car, and is then struck by an SUV. Both vehicles end up tumbling, careening and crashing (seen from the outside of both and the inside of the SUV). We then see Ben rush up to his bloody and apparently dead wife lying on the street. Spoiler Alert: A man fills a bathtub with ice, gets into that, and pulls a bucket into the water, spilling a box jellyfish in there with him. It then comes into contact with his arm, and he reacts in pain to the toxic and lethal sting, screaming and writhing about until eventually dying. Reviewed December 5, 2008 / Posted December 19, 2008

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