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)

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.

Despite what some reviews said...I liked this movie. It seemed more real than most of the genre. I must admit the end seemed to take a while and the suspense was killing me...but then I realised that in real life it would have been just like it was in the movie, given the circumstances.

Anabeth was great as the "best friend"...she has such a lovely smile that every scene she was in was lit up as a result. The main guy was good too...and he perfected the sad, confused look.

One thing which I thought was cute was the portrayal of friendship in the movie. It was lovely to watch. If only we all had friends like that in real life.

All in all, I thought it was a nice movie. I started watching it in an OK mood and by the end of it I was smiling and feeling much much better. Isn't that what movies are meant to do for us?

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.

A very touching drama featuring the winsome and appealing Frank Whaley and Annabeth Gish as longtime platonic friends who support each other through their romantic troubles. A believable story of how people who have all the advantages still struggle to find the right person to spend their lives with. Their relaxed comfortable friendship contrasts starkly with the strained relationships they each have with their romantic interests. Some wonderfully restrained scenes in which they finally begin dealing with their feelings for each other.