DIRECTED BY: PAUL VERHOEVEN

STARRING: WILL SMITH, THANDIE NEWTON, JADEN SMITH.

Released at Cinemas: January 12th

Chris (Smith) is in dire straits. His career is flailing miserably, his wife has just abandoned him with their five-year-old son and a whole heap of financial worries, and he’s about to be evicted from his flat. When he sees a man with a slick suit and a Ferrari, he realises he's not destined to remain at the bottom of society’s pile, and embarks on an internship at a brokerage to try and overcome the odds stacked against him and his son. Despite being homeless and penniless, Chris Gardiner's story shows the massive success that can stem from support, love and a battle of endurance, and it’s all based on a true story, folks. This is a rare move towards serious emo-drama for Smith, and it pays off, for this is heart-wrenching stuff. A fathers' plight to remain just marginally above the poverty line for his infant son is harrowing enough, but when the son places all the trust in the world in his loser father, it becomes increasingly hard to fight back the tears. With just a smattering of nepotism, Smith's son is played by his actual son (who would've guessed it!) who shines as the ultra-cute and ever-grateful Chris Jnr. This is an emotionally engaging rags to riches story, a chance to see Smith in an entirely new light, and perhaps in the running for an Oscar.