The story of "When Happiness Knocks on the Door" probably tells the story of Chris Gardner, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, who invested all his savings in a new medical product, a bone density scanner, because of his wrong vision. But the product didn't give the family the good life they had imagined, and Chris Gardner had to travel to San Francisco hospitals every day to try to sell at least two units a month, so he could barely make ends meet his monthly household expenses.

One day, he saw a man in a parking lot who was driving a Ferrari looking for a parking space, and he said to the man, "You can use my parking space, but you have to tell me, what do you do? and how?" The man said he was a stockbroker, and he told Chris Gardner that you don't need a college degree to be a stockbroker, you just need to be digitally proficient and know how to behave in the world.

So Chris Gardner decided to become a stockbroker, and he got an internship. But at this time, his wife finally couldn't make it up, and she was going to take little Chris to New York, but Chris Gardner insisted on leaving his son, because there was no money to pay the rent, the two father and son were kicked out, Chris Gardner and his son lived a hard life, they went from sleeping in cheap hotels to public toilets in subway stations, fighting for the ambulance room in the church...... At the same time, Chris will continue to sell bone density scanners while working as a brokerage intern.

Chris Gardner was also depressed and cried, but none of this brought him down, for the sake of his son's future, in order to pursue his own happiness, he persevered all the way, and finally ushered in the light, he was hired by the company and became an official stockbroker.

This is the life of Chris Gardner in "When Happiness Knocks on the Door", and it is also adapted from a true story.

At a Western restaurant, Wang Yang met the real Chris Gardner, a tall black man in his 40s, with a shaved head and a kind smile. Sandy Pikes was quick to get in touch with him, his investment firm was based in Chicago but had recently happened to be in New York to handle some business, and he seemed very happy to hear that Wang Yang was going to make a biographical film about his story, and he was happy to meet with Wang Yang.

"We lived on the street for a year before we found a small house. Remembering this, Chris Gardner's face couldn't help but gloom, he sighed, and said: "That house is very narrow and narrow, there is no electricity, my son and I sleep in a small wooden bed every night, many nights I spend the whole night with my eyes open, I really don't know if I will suddenly collapse and give up the happiness I am seeking?

Wang Yang, who was sitting opposite, nodded silently, his mood was mixed, he thought of Anne Darren, her smiling face full of happiness appeared in front of him, fortunately they didn't give up in the end, didn't they?

"But I can't, and when I see my son, I know I can't. Chris Gardner's eyes moistened, he picked up the red wine glass on the table and took a sip, "I grew up without a father, and I can't let my son do the same." It was the most important thing for me to make a good living, but at that time, I could only light a candle and bathe him in a tub that I had picked up at the garbage dump, but he just stood in it and said to me, 'Daddy, you know what? You're a good dad.' ’”

Chris Gardner's breathing became rapid, he wiped the tears welling up from the corners of his eyes, and said, "At that time, I was like now, and tears welled up all at once. He smiled guiltily and said, "I'm not a good father, I made him suffer a lot, he's just a few years old, he shouldn't have to bear that." But I said to myself, I want, I'm going to be a good father, I'm going to make him happy, and I'm going to make myself happy. ”

"Well, Mr. Gardner, you did. Wang Yang smiled softly and continued to listen to him tell his story.

The real "When Happiness Knocks on the Door" is not the same as the story in the movie, Chris Gardner's situation is even more unlucky, and he and his son are even more miserable and longer. He was 27 years old at the time, and shortly after the birth of his son, he met the Ferrari man, and then spent 10 months looking for a job on Wall Street, eventually finding someone willing to offer him a chance.

When Chris Gardner quit his job as a medical supply salesman and came to New York from San Francisco with his wife and children, the result was that the man who had made the promise to him had just been fired. So he had no job, no income, his wife divorced him and left with her son, but a few months later she gave the child back to Chris Gardner. In order to get his son, Chris moved out of the cheap bachelor dormitory where he was not allowed to live in his children, and took his son to live on the streets.

The father and son wandered like that, the park and the toilet became their temporary sleeping place, and it took a year for Chris to save enough money to rent a small house. He trained with a brokerage firm and passed exams to become a full-fledged licensed stockbroker, and then he founded his own investment firm and became a millionaire.

Of course, biopics also need to be cinematic, to rearrange a complex story, sometimes to make it simple and natural, sometimes to make it more dramatic and better-looking. At the same time, the ultimate purpose of the story is to serve the theme of the movie, and there are several themes of "When Happiness Knocks on the Door", the warmth between father and son, the ordinary and great fatherly love, and the defense of one's dreams, even if you encounter any difficulties, you must persist in the pursuit of happiness.

"In the darkest hour of your life, the only person who can help you is yourself. Chris Gardner finished telling his story, he took a long breath, looked at Wang Yang and smiled: "No one can help you, because the problem comes from your heart." Only by overcoming yourself and persevering can you see the dawn. This is the most important thing I have learned in my life. ”

Wang Yang nodded heavily, when he was surrounded by darkness, only when he still longed for the light and threw himself into the flame without hesitation would he reach a beautiful world. He smiled and said, "This is probably a kind of self-redemption." ”

"Yes!" Chris Gardner agreed, he took a knife and fork and cut a small piece of steak into his mouth, and said, "You can't let yourself go with the flow, I met a lot of people during the time I was receiving relief and they were just as depressed as me, and then I became an agent and they continued to receive care." Why?" He shrugged his shoulders and said with some pride: "Dignity, you must not lose this at any time, otherwise you will become numb and happy to accept the so-called reality, and when you lose it, you will also lose everything." ”

Chris put down the knife, stretched out two fingers, and smiled again: "There is one more, dream." Young man, what do you mean by a dream?" Wang Yang didn't think about it, so he replied, "I am very eager to do something." ”

"Haha!" Chris nodded with a laugh, baring a mouthful of white teeth, "Dreams are things you absolutely love to do, things that make you feel excited, happy, and make you want the morning sun to rise soon, because you want to do these jobs so much! But dreams are different, they allow you to truly live and live with dignity. ”

"Well, I think so. Wang Yang took a bite of beef, thinking about McDonald's waiters and filming movies, and couldn't help laughing: "Fortunately, the work I am doing now is what I like." ”

Chris Gardner smiled approvingly, gave a thumbs up and said, "I read the latest issue of Time Magazine, I know your story, you are a good example!" Wang Yang smiled: "Thank you." Chris Gardner picked up a napkin to wipe his hands and asked with interest, "By the way, I wonder who will play me?"

Who will play Chris Gardner? From the moment he had the idea of filming "When Happiness Knocks on the Door", Wang Yang had a clear candidate in his heart, or him, Will Smith. Like "Juno", "When Happiness Knocks" needs a protagonist with superb acting skills, who plays a smart, humorous, charismatic Chris Gardner, as well as a fatherly love for his son, a vulnerable side when he falls, the joy when he is successful, and so on.

Combining these aspects, it is definitely not a simple matter to perform well. At the same time, you also have to consider the appearance and temperament of the actor, although Chris Gardner is not a handsome guy in reality, but in the movie, he needs to be a handsome guy, not the kind of handsome guy with discharged eyes, but a handsome guy who looks very relatable. First, this is conducive to showing the warmth between father and son, if a fierce father wants to appear warm, the difficulty will skyrocket; second, when "When Happiness Knocks on the Door" from beginning to end, almost all of the shots have Chris Gardner's participation, if you want the audience not to have visual fatigue, then you have to show them a very "audience" starring role.

It's not a handsome guy in the simple sense of the word, or even a handsome guy, but he can just captivate the audience and make them watch his one-man show willingly, which is a very peculiar charm. It's like "Forrest Gump" Tom Hanks, "Captain Jack" Johnny Depp, and of course Will Smith.

However, it's 1999, not 2006, and it's a question of whether Will Smith can play Chris Gardner now? But Wang Yang thinks that the first question he should consider is, will Will Smith agree to his invitation, and what Oscar-level actor can he invite?

It's not because of the salary, it's because of that reason, his qualifications are not convincing enough, let alone enough to impress the actors who have no shortage of film contracts, why would they risk participating in a 19-year-old director's biographical film? Don't look at Time magazine's talk about "the next 'king of the world'"; now the situation is back to the way "Youth Musical" was, or even worse, and many people think he is crazy.

Wang Yang knows this, so Will Smith is the best candidate, because at least they know each other, and Will also said that "there is a chance to work together", although it is just a polite word, and it is better than nothing. Will will he agree to star in "When Happiness Knocks on the Door"? Wang Yang can't guarantee it, but he is mentally prepared to do his best to impress that guy.

Thinking of this, Wang Yang smiled at Chris Gardner and said, "Mr. Gardner, the candidate has not yet been determined, and when it is confirmed, I will inform you as soon as possible." Chris nodded, and Wang Yang said again: "When the time comes, we will bother you again." "Whoever plays the lead actor, he's definitely going to have to talk to Chris Gardner to help him understand the character and the story.

"Haha, I'd love to!" Chris Gad let out a hearty laugh again, and he suddenly said with a look of interest: "Actually, I've always been interested in movies, maybe I can make a cameo in the movie?"

Wang Yang couldn't help but smile and nodded, "Oh, there's no problem, I think it will be interesting." Picking up the soda and taking a sip, looking at Chris, Wang Yang proposed again: "By the way, Mr. Gardner, I think you can write an autobiography, your story is very fascinating, and your language is very interesting and moving, if you write an autobiography, it will definitely become a bestseller, which will also encourage more people." ”

The reason why he encouraged Chris Gardner to write an autobiography is that Wang Yang is not joking, if there is a best-selling autobiography of the same name and it is launched with the movie, there is no doubt that the film promotion work of "When Happiness Knocks on the Door" will become much simpler, the publicity cost will be reduced, and the effect will be very, very good. And he believed it would be a good book.

"Writing an autobiography?" Chris Gardner was slightly stunned, and a hint of excitement flashed across his face, he frowned and thought for a while, and laughed: "It's a good idea, I really want to share my success with others." He said excitedly: "As soon as you say that, I almost know how to write in my head, and I will start writing when I get home." Wang Yang smiled: "Then I look forward to seeing your first draft." ”

After a pleasant dinner, Wang Yang understood the story of "When Happiness Knocks on the Door", he listened to a lot of Chris Gardner's heart, as well as those experiences that were not shown in the movie, which made him slowly have a feeling of "controlling the story".

Back in the hotel apartment, Wang Yang took a hot shower, sat down on the sofa in the living room in his pajamas, he looked around, the apartment was quiet, there was no Jessica's laughter and figure, he was really a little unaccustomed. After thinking for a while, Wang Yang picked up the mobile phone on the coffee table in front of him, found Will Smith's number in the address book, he pressed the dial button, and after a while, he said, "Hi, Will, hello." It's me, Wang Yang. ”

"Hey, buddy, how are you doing?" Will Smith's magnetic voice came from the phone, and before Wang Yang could answer, he smiled again: "Amazing Yang, I know your heroic deeds, that's really cool!"

"Yes, thank you, ha!" Wang Yang laughed, and after saying hello, he directly explained his intention: "Will, I am currently preparing a movie "When Happiness Knocks on the Door". He was a little nervous in his heart, and said in a sincere tone: "I very much hope that you can play the leading role." ”

(To be continued)