Photo taken from www.whatsontv.co.uk

Smith stars as an IRS Agent who finds seven people in need and passionately works to improve their lives. Within the film, the production elements of the world allow most American viewers to feel comfortable in the urban and semi-suburban environments of the movie. Emily Posa’s simple and elegant small house brings a cozy and comfortable atmosphere to her character. When Smith’s character fixes one of her machines in the garage, the machines and related props bring an element of artistry and intelligence to the film. 

Many tight close-ups of faces and the emotions they express keep the characters intimate and accessible to the audience. “Seven Pounds” deals with the innermost thoughts and fears of people and the cinematography accompanies the emotional struggles. One of the signature compositions of Philippe de Sourd, director of photography, seems to be the close-up of the characters with the background remarkably out of focus. Many of these shots exist throughout the film, especially in the outdoor scenes. Having the background majorly out of focus (such as when the lights on a car or streetlight are merely large, colored circles) draws the audience’s attention the character and does not distract with any other elements in the frame. The mise en scène of such shots shows the full utilization of Sourd and/or the director drawing the audience the important emotions each character displays. 

Silence is a powerful use of sound, or lack thereof, within the film. Whether during an intimate scene or a striking flashback, the silence draws the viewers into the action of the scenes. Most of the sound remains functional in the film. A majority of the dialogue, however, maintains the closeness of the interaction of the characters. The mixing of the audio during the scenes between Thomas and Posa give a sense of intimacy because of how delicately the audio was captured and sounds.

Examining the film from a Christian worldview also prompts interesting discussion. The actions of Smith’s character, not to be given away as a spoiler, can lead to questions about Christ. Making Christian connections to the film can be easy, but people should be wary of looking too deeply into it. Although Smith’s character does help out others, he uses illegal means to achieve access to the people. Smith is not honest in presenting himself to others while Christ was truly the son of God – there wasn’t any impersonation. Also, Thomas needed to determine that a person was good before he helped them out. The Bible clearly states that everyone is evil in nature and are born into sin. Everyone is in need of Christ’s redemption that he freely offers; a truth the movie misses.

“Seven Pounds” is a powerful look a man who looks beyond himself to help others. Smith and Dawson have a powerful chemistry on screen and bring many powerful scenes to life in the film. The serious issues of the film are accompanied well with twists to the plot, creating a memorable film that does not create a need for additional viewings. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality; running time: 123 minutes.