Pursuit of Happiness

"Pursuit of Happiness" is a little romantic comedy about a good hearted but socially inept and very average guy (Whaley) who's looking for love in all the wrong places only to find it under his nose. The end is a foregone conclusion and the plot is an old one; a knock-off of Ella Wheeler Wilcox's classic poem "Love's Coming". However, there is fun and enjoyment to be found in the story which is all about a group of young adults, their jobs, relationships, and pursuits of happiness with Whaley and Gish at the forefront as hapless romantics and "blood brothers" on a collision course with destiny. No blockbuster, "Pursuit..." eeks out marginal success with some fresh ideas and an easy buy-in owing to the averageness of the characters. For romantic comedy junkies only. (C)

Yes, the movie isn't very good. It's pretty sentimental stuff, nothing original or even memorable...BUT...the cast is so appealing that it's flaws don't really matter much. Annabeth Gish is positively luminous. People will say this is a woman's movie, but when male viewers see Annabeth Gish, they won't care about the plot, dialog or other characters. And she's not the only looker. Amy-Jo Johnson is beautiful, and there are at least two others I can think of.

The story is fairly predictable, but the acting is quite good. It's not a bad way to spend an evening, especially if you're spending it with someone you care about. It would be a fine date movie for 20 or 30-somethings.

"Pursuit of Happiness" chronicles a relationship between two people that I find completely true to life... for me at least. I have had a best friend since third grade, through middle and high school, as well as college. We have been there for each other as long as I can remember and have supported each other through all sorts of ordeals and relationships. I even gave her away at her wedding, a marriage that lasted for ten rocky years. Now single, we briefly crossed paths in what I feel was more than a purely "platonic" way. Unfortunately, we did not hook up like the characters 'Alan' and 'Marissa' from the movie. So I find that "Pursuit of Happiness" really hits home, not to mention it has a great indie-rock soundtrack! An excellent choice for those of us who believe in the power of love that can exist between two best friends that happen to be a boy and girl. So... Watch and Enjoy!!!

This movie is really cute, isn't perfect but better than most romantic comedies. Sure, you will know how it ends the minute Annabeth Gish appears on screen, but the ride is so enjoyable and true to life, you won't care. At least, I didn't! The dialogue is true-to-life and witty enough that it keeps you interested, and there are a few unexpected twists with the B & C stories along the way as well. The cast is really talented, especially Gish, and the supporting players (in particular Cress Williams and Liz Vassey, who play another unlikely couple in the film), keep it moving. And, seeing the great Jean Stapleton (of Edith Bunker fame) utter the sentence "You look like sh*t" to Frank Whaley was priceless! I suggest you crack a bottle of wine, snuggle up to your significant other, and enjoy it.

I wanted to like this movie but it just kept being bad. The leading man was was so indecisive and emotionally flat with such a bored expression, it was hard to watch him. I started hoping he would just get on that plane to Seattle early on and stay out of the rest of the picture. The younger woman he is chasing calls hin unexpectedly to go to lunch and he acts like a immature nervous teenager on the phone. Earlier he throws a party to cover for lie he told her. He's too old to be acting like that. His lifetime relationship with another woman could have a been a real interesting idea, but they didn't seem very close to each other at all. At least she had an emotional scene in this film. The rest of the characters were also superficial, self-absorbed, and uninteresting. Hopefully, LA life isn't really like portrayed by these clueless zombies. "Everything happens for a reason" is repeated in this movie as if it explains anything, but comes off as the cliche that it is. I ended up wishing I had watched one of those slasher horror movies instead, where characters are killed off one by one.