Owning the month of July apparently isn't enough for Smith, who's slowly looking to claim another whole page of your calendar. Two years, nearly to the day, after his Oscar-nominated performance in Muccino's The Pursuit of Happyness, the director and star are teaming up again for another December inspirational drama. This time, Smith plays Ben Thomas, a suicidal IRS agent who finds meaning and love — with a terminally ill woman (Dawson) — after co-opting his brother's identity. The megastar and the Italian director ''are like brothers,'' says Ealy (Never Die Alone), who plays Ben's mysterious brother. ''They play-fistfight all the time.''
Our Two Cents Don't bet against Smith, in the play-fistfight or at the holiday box office. 12/12

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