Instagram/@junkboxai
That scene from 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness would hit a hard note 20 years later. An Instagram post that showcased an AI-generated rendition of crucial emotional father-son moments stirred memories and brought the tissues back out. Smith’s character, Chris Gardner, shares that immortal pep talk with his little son about dreams and cherishing them.
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“Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something. Not even me” said the AI in perfect harmony with Will Smith. “You got a dream? You got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves. They want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.”
This touchy comment hit home with one commenter confessing, “I can not be the only one that got goosebumps and tears at the same time.” Others have called this film “one of the best movies in the last 20 years” and “the greatest father and son movie of all times.”
“This movie brings me to tears every time, almost physically,” one comment read, and this sentiment has lasted ever since, with another comment noting, “seeing it in the theater and EVERYONE was crying at the end.”
The movie connected to a silent world where a lone, homeless father struggled with raising a kid, which went on to define a genre and earn Smith an Oscar nomination. With Smith’s real-life son, Jaden, playing the son of Christopher in the movie, the whole thing takes on an extra layer of realism.
While most comments were about the power of the message of the actual film, a small few comments just couldn’t stay away from the AI version. In response to the grotesque digital cinema: “Great movie, but a bit freaky IA video.” Another chuckled as he commented: “AI will be the end of us people why the babies though.”
In a manner of putting it across, the lasting power of that original scene somewhat validates its universal message. Through the movie clip or the new AI rendition, Gardner’s message of standing strong in the face of oppression will inspire new generations, as one fan put it: “the lessons… and yoh the way I cried.”
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That one in the bathroom between Gardner and his son is still one of the rawest and most emotional moments in cinema maybe 20 years later. A very good vintage Instagram insert is good enough to suggest what stirred up for round two. Some stories go on for thousands of lifetimes without losing their vibes.