This movie is definitely not one of those you want to go see if you don't like "depressing" movies. I put quotes there because I know a lot of people who use that classification for any movie that is specifically designed to make you feel sober and reflective at the end. They usually tend to have bittersweet endings. I think its interesting that so many people take this attitude and refuse to go see these types of movies yet you look at the types of shows that have lasted through the ages and a LOT of them are tragedies. Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Citizen Kane, etc. My point I guess is that just because the hero dies doesn't mean its a bad movie. In fact it usually drives the point home to the audience. I have nothing against happy endings but sometimes its nice to see a show that really makes me reflect on my own life and inspire me to want to be better. Well "Seven Pounds" is just that type of show.
The show is about a man who spends the last few weeks of his life searching for deserving beneficiaries of his vital organs. His eyes, his heart, his liver, bone marrow, even his beach house. There are a number of story lines but the two prominent ones are those of Ezra, a blind vegan jewish meat salesman, and Emily, a single woman with a big dog who suffers from heart troubles and has a rare blood type. We follow Ben Thomas on his quest for redemption and watch him struggle, especially after he falls in love with Emily and is forced with the decision of staying alive in order to be with her or go through with hi plan and save her life.
The movie gives you only enough information along the way so that you don't figure out exactly what circumstances have led Ben to make the decision to do what he does until the end of the movie when the beneficiaries find out themselves. This method of writing seems to make me as a viewer among one of the beneficiaries as well. At first I am unsure what to think of him when he very harshly insults the blind call center employee and goes around doing IRS audits of various individuals with medical problems. As we learn more we soon find out that he is not an IRS agent and is only interested in finding people to help.
On a personal note, I have had a number of people close to me pass away and have their organs donated, the closest being my sister. The final scene in which Emily and Ezra meet was extremely powerful for me as I couldn't help putting myself in Emily's place and react to seeing the eyes of someone I dearly love through someone else. Seven Pounds is a must see in my book and I give it a 10 out of 10.
