À la poursuite du bonheur

"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!!!

"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)

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.

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.

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly. The plight of two friends who believe that they are not for each other is timeless. I love how the movie ended. I was surprised to see Amy Jo Johnson, especially in the bedroom scene. She has grown up beyond the power rangers, that's for sure.

The cast is full of pretty, but next door-type of people. I watched this movie during the week after work and dinner one night. A very nice and pleasant surprise. A very "cool" vibe throughout the film. Whaley is a good actor. The whole cast deserves applause.