Seven Pounds

Will Smith and director Gabriele Muccino were last together for the charm-assault that was The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), and their latest turn requires a similar suspension of disbelief. But instead of melting into a small puddle of sickly-sweetness a la Happyness, Seven Pounds grows to be something quite monstrously terrible.

Smith is Ben Thomas, an IRS agent, but a good one, who one day accidentally kills seven people in a car crash. Being an earnest and noble figure who wants to atone for his actions, he effectively stalks seven other unwitting souls under his jurisdiction (among them Rosario Dawson) for their own good, intending to kill himself once his beneficent deeds have been done.

For a little while this muddled tale is vaguely pleasant to watch as it putters along, baffling yet pretty, but then suddenly an awareness of the utter dreadfulness of the story descends. We all know how Seven Pounds will unravel - in some great big everyman-messiah mush.

Smith is a talented actor, with presence and immense screen appeal; let us pray for someone to rescue him from this kind of drivel. ·