影響你一生的電影：當幸福來敲門——砸開幸福之門

　　明天不一定更美好，但美好的明天一定會來臨。電影The Pursuit of Happyness正反映了這樣一個信念。這部根據(jù)真人真事改編的電影體現(xiàn)了主人公Chris Gardner的追夢之旅以及他和兒子Christopher間深厚的父子情。

Hold Fast to Your Dreams

　　Chris Gardner（Will Smith飾）是一位普通的醫(yī)療器械推銷員，他花光所有的積蓄買下了堆滿一面墻的骨密度測定儀，堅信這些revolutionary machine一定會賣得很好，一定能讓他和妻兒過上幸福的生活。可現(xiàn)實生活不遂人愿，任憑Chris如何努力，都很難賣出這種測定儀。于是，生活開始變得搖擺不定。妻子不得不在工廠上double shift work（兩班倒）來貼補家用。他們五歲的兒子Christopher只能每天被寄放在收費低廉的日托所里。

　　Chris這樣一個正直、堅韌的男人，卻總沒辦法讓家里過上好日子。終于有一天，他路過金融區(qū)，遇到了一個開著紅色法拉利且和他同齡的白領。

　　[那個人停車準備進旁邊的寫字樓上班，Chris羨慕地走上前去和他攀談。]

　　Chris: Man, I got two questions for you: What do you do? And how do you do it?

　　Man: I'm a stockbroker (證券經(jīng)紀人).

　　Chris: Stockbroker. Oh. Had to go to college to be a stockbroker, huh?

　　Man: You don't have to. Have to be good with numbers and good with people. That's it.

　　當時世界一流的證券公司Dean Witter有個為期六個月的實習生項目。僅有高中學歷的Chris深知自己的簡歷很難贏得面試的機會。于是，他直接去找該公司的人力主管Jay Twistle。Twistle收下了Chris的簡歷，讓他回去等電話。可一個月過去了，依舊音訊全無。不甘放棄的Chris決定再次主動找Twistle面談。

　　[Chris在大樓門前等了很久，Twistle終于出現(xiàn)了，他沖了上去。]

　　Chris: Chris Gardner.

　　Twistle: Yeah, hi. What can I do for you?

　　Chris: I submitted an application for the intern program about a month ago ... and I would just love the opportunity to sit with you briefly-

　　Twistle: Listen, I'm going to Noe Valley, Chris. Take care of yourself.

　　[Chris不愿失去這個機會，決定找個借口和Twistle拼車，上車交談。]

　　Chris: Mr. Twistle. Actually, I'm on my way to Noe Valley also. How about we share a ride〔1〕?

　　Twistle: All right. Get in.

　　Chris: So when I was in the Navy, I worked for a doctor who loved to play golf, hours and hours every day ... and I would actually perform medical procedures when he'd leave me in the office. So I'm used to being in a position where I have to make decisions and ... [發(fā)現(xiàn)Twistle沒在聽] Mr. Twistle, listen. This is a very important ...

　　[Twistle一直玩著當時風靡美國的智力玩具--魔方，根本沒有在聽。]

　　Twistle: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. This thing's impossible.

　　Chris: I can do it.

　　Twistle: No, you can't. No one can. It's bullshit.

　　Chris: No, I'm pretty sure I can do it.

　　Twistle: No, you can't.

　　Chris: Let me see it. Give it here.

　　[Twistle遲疑地把魔方遞給了Chris。]

　　Chris: Oh, yeah. Oh, wow, you really messed it up〔2〕.

　　Twistle: Sorry.

　　Chris: It looks like it works around a swivel (轉體), so the center pieces never move. So if it's yellow in the center, that's the yellow side. If it's red in the center, that's the red side.

　　[為了贏得時間向Twistle證明自己是個聰明的人，Chris讓司機開慢一點。]

　　Chris: You can slow down.

　　Twistle: Oh! Listen, we can drive around all day. I don't believe you can do this.

　　Chris: Yeah, I can.

　　Twistle: No, you can't.

　　Chris: Yes, I can.

　　Twistle: No, you can't. I'm telling you, no one can ... See, that's all I ever did ... You almost have this side ... Holy cow! [Chris轉出了一面] Oh, You almost had that one. [Chris又轉出了一面]

　　Chris: I'm gonna get it.

　　Twistle: Look at that. You're almost there.

　　Taxi driver: Seventeen ten.

　　Chris: This is me.

　　[Chris最終將六個面全部轉了出來。]

　　Twistle: Good job. Goodbye.

　　Chris: Ok. I'll see you ... see you soon.

　　Chris的這次"面談"給Twistle留下了深刻的印象?？删驮谶@段時間里，Chris的生活卻在負債的泥沼里越陷越深，沉重的打擊一個接著一個：妻子終究不能忍受窮困艱辛的生活和養(yǎng)家糊口的壓力，離開了家；房東一遍遍地催討房租并勒令他搬走；該死的測定儀一臺也賣不出去......

　　就在此時，Chris接到了Twistle的電話，通知他去參加Dean Witter為期六個月的實習生項目的面試。可面試的前一天，就在Chris為了多拖欠幾天房租，免費為房東刷墻的時候，他因為拖欠停車罰單過久而被拘留，次日早上9點才得以脫身。Chris來不及換洗，一路狂奔到了面試地點。

　　[一身污漬的Chris坐在面試桌前。]

　　Chris: I've been sitting there for the last half-hour trying to come up with a story that would explain my being here dressed like this. And I wanted to come up with a story that would demonstrate qualities that I'm sure you all admire here, like earnestness (認真) or diligence, team-playing (團隊合作), something. And I couldn't think of anything. So the truth is ... I was arrested for failure to pay parking tickets.

　　Frohm: Parking tickets?

　　Chris: And I ran all the way here from the police station.

　　Frohm: What were you doing before you were arrested?

　　Chris: I was painting my apartment.

　　Frohm: Is it dry now?

　　Chris: I hope so.

　　Frohm: Jay says you're pretty determined.

　　[看到自己推薦的Chris竟然如此裝扮前來面試，Jay Twistle感到一絲羞愧。]

　　Twistle: He's been waiting outside the front of the building ... with some 40-pound gizmo (玩意) for over a month.

　　Frohm: He said you're smart.

　　Chris: Well, I'd like to think so.

　　Frohm: And you want to learn this business?

　　Chris: Yes, sir, I wanna learn this business.

　　Frohm: Have you already started learning on your own?

　　Chris: Absolutely.

　　Frohm: Jay?

　　Twistle: Yes, sir.

　　Frohm: How many times have you seen Chris?

　　Twistle: I don't know. One too many, apparently.

　　Chris: Was he ever dressed like this?

　　Twistle: No. No. Jacket and tie.

　　Frohm: First in your class? In school? High school?

　　Chris: Yes, sir.

　　Frohm: How many in the class?

　　Chris: Twelve. It was a small town.

　　Frohm: I'll say.

　　Chris: But I was also first in my radar class in the Navy, and that was a class of 20 ... Can I say something? I'm the type of person ... if you ask me a question and I don't know the answer I'm gonna tell you that I don't know. But I bet you what, I know how to find the answer, and I will find the answer. Is that fair enough?

　　Frohm: Chris, what would you say if a guy walked in for an interview without a shirt on ... and I hired him? What would you say?

　　Chris: He must've had on some really nice pants.

　　Chris的執(zhí)著和堅定、正直和誠實、沉著和冷靜，贏得了Dean Witter的合伙人Frohm先生的青睞。就這樣，他成為了世界頂級證券公司為期半年的實習生。不過這個競爭激烈的實習項目沒有任何工資，甚至沒有職位的承諾--20個實習生經(jīng)過半年的考察，最后只能留下一人。

　　通過面試的Chris幸運地賣掉了幾臺測定儀，掙到了一些錢，足以維持他和兒子這半年的生活。生活似乎要有所轉機，可就在這時，更糟的事情發(fā)生了。國家稅務局在某一天沒有任何提醒就從他的賬戶劃走了他拖欠過久的稅款；Chris的賬戶頃刻之間只剩下了二十多美元。沒錢付租金的Chris只好帶著兒子搬到了汽車旅館，后來又流落到教會收容所。生活急轉直下，但Chris明白，這是他最后的機會，是通往幸福生活的唯一路途。于是，夜晚帶著兒子顛沛流離的他，白天還是打起十二分的精神在這家聲名顯赫的證券公司里為了1/20的正式錄用機會拼命努力著。

　　Chris: Whoever brought in the most money after six months was usually hired. We were all working our way up call sheets to sign clients. From the bottom to the top, from the doorman to the CEO. They'd stay till 7, but I had Christopher. I had to do in six hours what they do in nine. In order not to waste any time, I wasn't hanging up the phone in between calls. I realized that by not hanging up the phone, I gained another eight minutes a day. I also wasn't drinking water, so I didn't waste any time in the bathroom. But even doing all this, after two months, I still didn't have time to work my way up a sheet.

　　白天，Chris在公司里充分利用時間工作，為了實現(xiàn)自己的夢想，也為了早點下班帶著兒子去排隊住收容所；夜里，他則要把僅有的一臺測定儀修好以期換來一點兒生活費。生活的窮困讓人沮喪無比，但為了兒子，也為了自己的夢想，Chris咬緊牙關，堅持著他對幸福生活的追尋，一點一點地尋找著命運的出口。

　　[六個月的實習結束，Chris忐忑不安地走進了面試間。]

　　Frohm: Chris, sit down, please.

　　Chris: I thought I'd wear a shirt today. You know, being the last day and all.

　　Frohm: Well, thank you. Thank you. We appreciate that. But wear one tomorrow though, okay? Because tomorrow's going to be your first day, if you'd like to work here as a broker. Would you like that, Chris?

　　[巨大的幸福感溢滿了Chris全身，他不禁流下了幸福的眼淚。]

　　Chris: Yes, sir.

　　Frohm: Good. We couldn't be happier. So welcome. Was it as easy as it looked?

　　Chris: No, sir. No, sir, it wasn't.

　　Frohm: Good luck, Chris.

　　Chris: Thank you. Thank you.

　　[回顧往事的Chris這樣說道：]

　　Chris: This part of my life ... this little part ... is called "Happiness".

　　有夢想才有真追求，追尋幸福的過程也許并不幸福，但只要你心存希望，在內(nèi)心深處執(zhí)著地等待著命運在峰回路轉時的嫣然一笑，那么，你一定能等到幸福敲門的時候。

I Trust You

　　"I'm Chris Gardner. I met my father for the first time when I was 28 years old. And I made up my mind as a young kid that when I had children, my children were gonna know who their father was."這是影片的開場白，讓人看到Chris作為一個父親，之所以能保持對生活的積極態(tài)度，有很大一半源于對兒子Christopher幸福生活的承諾。

　　[Chris的妻子選擇了離開，但Chris堅決要留下兒子Christopher。]

　　Chris: Let me ask you something. Are you happy?

　　Christopher: Yeah.

　　Chris: Because I'm happy. And if you're happy and I'm happy, then that's a good thing, right?

　　Christopher: Yeah.

　　[Chris沒錢付房租被迫搬到了一個汽車旅館。]

　　Christopher: Dad, why did we move to a motel?

　　Chris: I told you. Because I'm getting a better job. You gotta trust me, all right?

　　Christopher: I trust you.

　　Chris: All right. Here. Come on. Come on.

　　那段日子里，Chris雖然不能給兒子豐富的物質(zhì)生活，但他給了兒子對夢想的勇氣和信念，即使是在自己離成功還很遠的時候。

　　[Chris陪兒子打球。]

　　Christopher: Hey, Dad. I'm going pro (職業(yè)運動員). I'm going pro.

　　Chris: OK! Yeah, I don't know. You know ... You'll probably be about as good as I was. That's kind of the way it works, you know. I was below average. You know, so you'll probably ultimately rank somewhere around there, you know, so ... really you'll excel〔3〕 at a lot of things, just not this. I don't want you shooting this ball all day and night. All right?

　　Christopher: All right.

　　Chris: All right, go ahead ... Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. All right?

　　Christopher: All right.

　　Chris: You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves. They wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period〔4〕.

　　由于付不起汽車旅館的房費，老板把他們的行李扔了出來。無處容身的父子倆只好輾轉到了地鐵站，兒子對父親不能帶自己回家而感到有些沮喪。

　　[Chris為了安慰兒子，虛構了一個恐龍時代。]

　　Christopher: Where are we going? Dad, where are we going?

　　Chris: I don't know.

　　Christopher: It's not a time machine. Dad, It's not a time machine. The guy said it was a time machine. It's not a time machine. He was wrong.

　　Chris: What guy?

　　Christopher: The guy who's at the park said it was a time machine.

　　Chris: Yes, it is.

　　Christopher: No, it's not.

　　Chris: It is.

　　Christopher: No, it's not.

　　Chris: All we gotta do is push this black button right here. Wanna push it?

　　Christopher: Okay.

　　Chris: Come on. Come on, man. Right here. Wait a minute. Where do you wanna go?

　　Christopher: I don't know. Some place from before.

　　Chris: You gotta close your eyes.

　　Christopher: You close your eyes. I wanna see.

　　Chris: All right, come on. We'll push it together. You gotta close your eyes. It takes a few seconds ... Oh, my goodness. Open, open, open!

　　Christopher: What is it?

　　Chris: Dinosaurs.

　　Christopher: Where?

　　Chris: You don't see all these dinosaurs? Look around. Look at all these dinosaurs. Can you see them?

　　Christopher: Yeah.

　　Chris: Wait. Come on, come on. Wait! Watch out!

　　Christopher: What is it?

　　Chris: Don't step in the fire. We're cavemen (穴居人). We need this fire, because there's no electricity ... and it's cold out here, okay?

　　Christopher: Watch out!

　　Chris: Whoa! Oh, my god! A T. rex (霸王龍). Get your stuff. Get your stuff. Get it. We gotta find someplace safe.

　　Christopher: Like what?

　　Chris: We need a cave.

　　Christopher: A cave?

　　Chris: We gotta find a cave. Come on. Watch your back! Look out. Here it is. Here's a cave. Come on. Right here. Go, go, go. Get in. Hurry, hurry, hurry.

　　[父子二人藏進了被虛構為洞穴的廁所。]

　　Christopher: Are we safe?

　　Chris: Yeah, I think so.

　　對很多人而言，家人永遠是追尋夢想的動力。影片中那種呼之欲出的父子情非常打動人心，上陣父子兵，要知道影片中飾演兒子的小演員Jaden Smith正是飾演父親的Will Smith的兒子呢。

The Pursuit of Happiness

　　電影片名中的"happyness"是故意拼錯的（應該是happiness），它與片中的一個場景相呼應。Chris發(fā)現(xiàn)托兒所外面的墻上出現(xiàn)"the pursuit of happyness"這句話，就去告知老師單詞拼寫錯了。老師卻告訴他，happyness是否拼對并不重要，重要的是孩子們是否擁有它。這句話深深觸動了Chris，激發(fā)他為兒子能擁有幸福的生活而奮斗。

　　那么，幸福是什么？如何去追尋？這是我們時常自省的兩個問題，雖然對于第一個問題，每個人都有不同的答案，但對于第二個問題，也許成年后的Christopher給出了正確的答案：How did he know to put the "pursuit" part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it ... no matter what.

　　Happiness is a voyage, not a destination. 對于幸福、夢想亦或其他，追尋的過程也許并不總是陽光普照，但在幸福來敲門的那一個瞬間，淚水和歡笑都來自于為之奮斗的每一個平凡的日子。

　　You have a dream. You got to protect it. Period.