《The Pursuit of Happiness》 is a 2006 American biographical drama film, directed by Gabriele Muccino and based on the true story of Chris Gardner. The film stars Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker.
In 1981, in San Francisco, the smart salesman and family man Chris Gardner invests the family savings in Osteo National bone-density scanners, an apparatus twice as expensive as an x-ray machine but with a slightly clearer image. This white elephant financially breaks the family, bringing troubles to his relationship with his wife Linda, who leaves him and moves to New York where she has received a job in a pizza parlor. She wishes to take their son Christopher with her, but Chris refuses because they both know that Linda will be unable to take care of him. Without money or a wife, but totally committed to his son Christopher, Chris sees the chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, offering a more promising career at the end of a six month unpaid training period. There are nineteen other candidates for the one position. Meanwhile, he encounters many challenges and difficulties, including a period of homelessness and troubles with the IRS.
男主人公克里斯·加德纳是生活在旧金山的黑人男青年，靠做推销员养着老婆还有幼子。克里斯从没觉得日子过得很幸福，当然也没很痛苦，就跟美国千千万普通男人一样过着平淡的生活，直到有一天，一系列突如其来的变故才让克里斯知道，原来平淡的日子有多珍贵。
首先，他丢了工作，公司裁员让他丢了饭碗。克里斯从此遭遇了一连串重大打击，妻子因忍受不了长期的贫困生活愤而出走，连六岁大的儿子也一同带走。没过多久，妻子又把儿子还给了克里斯，从此克里斯不仅要面对失业的困境，还要独立抚养儿子。没过多久，克里斯因长期欠交房租被房东赶出家门，带着儿子流落街头。在接下的两三年中，这对苦命父子的住所从纸皮箱搬到公共卫生间。克里斯坚强面对困境时刻打散工赚钱，同时也努力培养孩子乐观面对困境的精神，父子俩日子虽苦，但还是能快乐生活。
一次，克里斯在停车场遇见一个开高级跑车的男人，克里斯问他做什么工作才能过上这样的生活，那男人告诉他自己是做股票经纪人的，克里斯从此就决定自己要做一个出色的股票经纪人，和儿子过上好日子。完全没有股票知识的克里斯靠着毅力在华尔街一家股票公司当上学徒，头脑灵活的他很快就掌握了股票市场的知识，随后开上了自己的股票经纪公司，最后成为百万富翁。