Watching this I couldn't help but think he cared more about his career goal than his child. I would never let my children become homeless and have to sleep in a public bathroom if I could avoid it. I'd take a job driving a cab, flipping burgers, anything. I'd work 3 crappy jobs if I had to. This dude's priorities seemed out of wack.
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The bit about him sleeping in a toilet.
SpiltPersonality
um, he did have a second job besides the internship or did you miss the part where eh was selling xray machines?
shareThe x-ray machine job seemed to be exceptionally bad, bringing in virtually no income. When you're sleeping in a mens room with a child, it's time to do something more.
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Actually, being a trainee for Dean Whitter took up most of his time. I doubt if he would have time to work at McDonalds, and he barely had time for the x-ray stuff.
shareExactly.
People really don't seem to grasp how difficult broker training is. It requires an extraordinary effort. He wouldn't have had time to do much of anything else. Not only did he have to do the 9 to 5 work on the phones trying to round up clients for his firm, he had to study to pass the general securities exam (Series 7), and that's no small task. It's a six hour exam split into two sessions, and there are some 250 questions. And trust me, the questions are difficult. The exam covers everything from the various laws that have been passed to regulate the industry, to specific questions about a myriad of investments that a broker may deal with (stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, options, bonds), questions about options strategies, ethics, etc. When I took it, I was told about 40% of the people taking it the first time fail it. That was back in 2007. I don't know what the percentage is now, but clearly a lot of people are unable to meet the requisite 72% passing score. Once Chris passed the 7, he'd have to then take the state law exam, which allows a broker to do business in the individual states. It covers various issues that might differ from one state to the next, like Blur Sky laws. Back then, he'd likely have taken the Series 66. I took the 63. That exam is three hours, if my memory serves me. I was lucky enough to work the overnight shift at my firm, and the few slow hours I had a night allowed me to study more. I studied about 30 hours a week for approximately three months in preparation for the exams. I basically worked, studied, and slept, and had no life otherwise.
Never for the sake of peace and quiet deny your convictions-Dag Hammarskjold
As much as i've always liked this movie, this is the main thing that irks me and makes me not want to like it. His priorities were definitely not admirable in the short run if not the long run regarding his son, he knew he had a shot in hell at getting that job and could see what would happen if he exercised any foresight- which he didn't, or he did and ignored it. He saw he was drowning and chose to gamble.
His wife said she had stable employment and accommodation with family and wanted to take the son with her. Chris had his son sleep in a subway toilet, sleep on a subway all night and live in homeless shelters when at any time he could have called the mum and even just temporarily pass him over to her to at least provide stability to the kid. His increasing frustration that he took out on his son really doesn't earn him any father of the year trophies imo either.
If he wanted to gamble his own life fine, but don't gamble your kids. Especially when they have happier and safer options and then try and depict your decisions as noble because in the end YaY he got the job which made it all ok. That kid lived in destitute, below poverty conditions because his father was chasing a dream and was too stubborn to let his mother even temporarily look after him.
I agree Dan. I wonder if that's what happened in real life with Chris Gardner too or if the movie is an over-dramatisation. Other than the homeless bit, it's one of the most heart-warming and motivational films I've seen, and a good watch for entrepreneurs. If you’re not moved, then I am truly puzzled.
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What about her? She left her child behind to go be a waitress in New York. He was by far the better parent.
I guess it's like looking at clouds. You see one thing and I see another. Peace.
She didn't 'leave' her child, Chris begged her to leave him with him. I would have ignored his dumb ass and taken him anyway.
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