Seven Pounds Psychology

Seven Pounds (2008), directed by Gabriele Muccino, follows the mysterious Tim Thomas (Will Smith) on his journey to right a past mistake that shaped his entire future. Tim poses as an IRS agent, going by the name Ben Thomas, and begins to investigate several people in order to see if they are worthy of a “gift” he wants to give them. Tim soon develops feelings for Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson) who suffers from a could-be fatal heart condition. As the film progresses, the audience is still not fully aware of Tim’s motives behind any of his actions. It is not until the last couple of scenes that we realize Tim has been trying to repay a debt he feels he owes to the world by giving seven people a new chance at life to make up for the seven others lives that ended from a car wreck he caused. It is ironic the writers had Tim pose as an IRS agent, a person who investigates citizen who owe the government money, when it is he who is in debt to the others.

Depression seems to be the issue at hand, but as the movie wraps the audience begins to see how depression, while prevalent, may have been mistaken for guilt.

Smith’s character has become consumed with guilt because a car wreck that has transpired. The motives behind Tim’s actions the film narrows guilt down into the category of survivor’s guilt because he caused the accident and was the only survivor. People that survive any traumatic ordeal involving death begin to question what they did wrong in the situation and how they could have changed the outcome. Tim has concluded he must sacrifice his life in order to gift seven ill people with his organs. Tim feels the seven lives he saves will make up for the seven lives he helped end and clear his guilty

conscience.
Tim’s guilty conscience is tested by Emily because of his love for her and he considers backing out of his original plans. Tim’s guilt has caused him to put himself last and others first for so long, he cannot help but be drawn to Emily and the happiness she brings him.
The scene I chose is after Tim and Emily share their first intimate moment and end up playing the what if game and discuss the future they could have together. When Tim is caressing Emily’s scar this show he is aware of how fragile she is and will protect her. After they share their intimate moment, they begin to play the “What If” game. Tim goes along with the game, but it is ironic because he has had a series of what ifs since the accident and contemplating a future with Emily cannot work because he must die in order for her to live. Emily’s crying can be interpreted as her fear of her heart condition messing up the love she has found, Tim’s crying is related to the happiness he has finally found and also him knowing their “What If” game is just a game and can never be a reality. When Tim watches Emily sleep we see a close up on his face and half of his face is blacked out, this is symbolic of the hidden part of his identity and what he has hidden from Emily. Giving your heart to someone is a metaphor for loving a person unconditionally, but in Tim’s case the metaphor has turned into a reality.