Ouisa (Stockard Channing) and Flan Kittredge (Donald Sutherland) are upper class Fifth Avenue NYC private art dealers. Their prized possession is a two-sided Kandinsky. They recount the story of their dinner with wealthy South African investor Geoffrey Miller (Ian McKellen) to a growing crowd. Paul (Will Smith) interrupts the dinner showing up at their door claiming to have been robbed in Central Park. He supposedly is studying at Harvard with their kids Talbot and Woody and is the son of Sidney Poitier. All the while, he is shown practicing his con. Then they catch him in bed with Rick (Eric Thal) and they kick him out. However Miller wants to connect with Sidney Poitier. Then their friends Kitty (Mary Beth Hurt) and Larkin (Bruce Davison) come to them with the same story. They find Dr. Fine (Richard Masur) with a familiar encounter. The kids find out that it's their high school classmate Trent Conway (Anthony Michael Hall).

It's an eye-opening performance from Will Smith and it's actually one of his best. He's being the slick performer and it's playing up his natural charisma. It is probably one of his most daring character and one which he has not gone beyond. I do wish he takes some chances in non-conventional roles to expand his repertoire. Channing and Sutherland are also terrific. It's sharp social commentary. On a minor note, J.J. Abrams overacts a bit as Dr. Fine's crazed son. His ridiculousness is somewhat funny. The kids generally yell and overact too much.

I guess we can see the genius of Will Smith right from the start. This is a film about a chameleon who is able to create for himself identities suited to an intriguing game he is playing. He really wants to be loved, but has become so deeply entrenched in his charade that he soon isn't sure what he wants. He is a master of subterfuge with a smile and a wink. He claims to be the son of someone who is relatively reclusive and unapproachable. This gives him the opportunity to invade people's lives; but for what? It's his "victims" that grow because of him. He is searching for a family but needs so many assurances. He chooses the super-rich, which makes his job much harder. The performances by Donald Sutherland, Stockard Channing, and Smith, himself are quite incredible. I began by absolutely hating these people. They are so smug and pretentious that they make one gag. And that's why their redemption due to this invader is so poignant. They grow to love this young man in their own ways, despite the fact that he appears dangerous (is he; I don't know). Of course, the six degrees is the theory that we are all related in some way if we go back six generations. The thing asked is, how can we then be so different. A real surprise.

In New York, the art dealers John Flanders ('Flan') Kittredge (Donald Sutherland) and Louisa ('Ouisa') Kittredge (Stockard Channing) are ready to have a business dinner with their South African friend and client Geoffrey Miller (Ian McKellen),when a wounded young black man comes to their fancy apartment telling that he had been just robbed in Central Park and asking for help. He introduces himself as Paul (Will Smith),a friend of their son and daughter in Harvard and son of Sidney Poitier, and the couple invites him to stay with them. During they night, they find that Paul is not who he claims to be. When they investigate the life of Paul, they find the hidden truth.

The first time I saw "Six Degrees of Separation" in 1993 or 1994, I was very impressed with this movie. I liked the concept of the six degrees of separation between human beings, but mostly the acting of Will Smith, Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland. The very difficult and long lines were brilliantly presented by this trio of excellent actors and actress, almost as if they were on the stage. Further, the name of Stockard Channing in a film for me is a synonymous of high quality. Today I have just seen this movie again, and I maybe I am more critical with the years, but I found the screenplay quite confused. For example, the relationships of parents and sons and daughters are extremely aggressive from the side of the Harvard students, and I have not understood the point in the story. The affection of Louisa ('Ouisa') Kittredge for Paul Poitier- Kittredge could be a projection of what she would like to receive from her apparently ungrateful son and daughter, but her daughter actually talks to her. Anyway, this movie is intriguing and original and deserves to be watched. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Seis Graus de Separação" ("Six Degrees of Separation")