Pursuit of Happiness (2001)

"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)