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Adam R. Holz (Plugged In) says, "Inspirational isn't a word I would normally choose to describe a great movie, as it conjures up connotations of something sappy or overly sentimental. Nevertheless, I think that's the word that best captures Will Smith's powerful portrayal. … As a new father myself, I'm hard put to think of any movie I've ever seen that inspires me more to be a good dad than this one does. Days after seeing it, memories of certain scenes continue to challenge me in my own occasional moments of laziness or self-absorption."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, "Though overly long and occasionally repetitive in showing the succession of hard knocks Chris must endure, there's a lump-in-the-throat payoff. … The movie scores high on the inspirational message scale. … And, in case you were wondering, the movie does not promote illiteracy. That misspelling of 'happiness' is intentional and has a dramatic point."

"There are many reasons to love a good father/son movie," says Stephen McGarvey (Crosswalk). "Fathers so often get the shaft in pop culture and on the big screen. The Pursuit of Happyness … not only gives us a strong portrayal of a loving father, but an uplifting lesson in perseverance and being happy even when life is rough."

Scott Gurley (Relevant) says, "It would be easy to gloss over [the film] as a formulaic, feel-good movie, nicely packaged by Hollywood for the holiday season. … However, amidst skillfully crafted sequences—designed to keep audiences from ever feeling too sad—is a remarkable story …."

He adds, however, "The movie falls short in its depiction of Gardner and his son's experience among the homeless. Surely the film's target audience is families, hence a more lighthearted look at homeless culture. However, an important element of reality is lost when the grittier parts of life are made to look decent."

Mainstream critics are mostly pleased.

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