For a film with plot points including a dead husband-to-be, an illegitimate child and an attempted suicide, “Catch and Release” sure is a cheery little charmer. Delivering on the trailer’s promise of being a romantic comedy chick-flick, you can rest assured knowing that the broken-hearted protagonist found at will love again and find said love very soon in the “most unexpected” place (at least, as regarded by anyone not in the audience) while cute characters abound along the way. What sets “Catch and Release” apart, then, is that it succeeds with genuinely likeable characters and a pervasive optimism through which individuals deal with and overcome tragedy — instead of just pushing it aside.

The story is pretty basic: The film begins with Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) mourning the loss of her fiancée, Grady. At the funeral, Gray serves as an accidental witness to Grady’s scoundrel-of-a-friend Fritz’ (Timothy Olyphant) sexual encounter with a caterer. After packing up her once-future family home, Gray stays in the home of her ex-fiancée’s best friends. Fritz comes to stay at the house for reasons that become clear later on, and over time Gray will find that there’s much more to Fritz than she had initially assumed. You have one guess as to whom these two will end up with.

The success of the film, however, has little to do with the events of the predictable plot but with the characters within the story and how they react to those events with realism yet not frustration. Garner, while occasionally awkward, is quite endearing as a woman whose life unravels before her eyes. Olyphant is very likeable as well in the role of the guy we’re supposed to hate at first — even though very few do. Kevin Smith is particularly pleasant as one of Grady’s friends caring for Gray, upping the film’s appeal to the male demographic while also delivering much of the film’s humor.

While light-hearted, the movie does not skirt around its serious issues. Rather, it moves along at a brisk pace that gives each event proper respect and attention but does not dwell too long on any one. Writer-director Susannah Grant avoids overindulgence by showing just enough to convey emotion to the viewer before moving on, a difference easily seen in scenes such as a moment when Gray begins to cry. Rather than playing out this scene of tears, all the viewer sees are the first tears before the film moves on. The emotional impact, if not heightened, is still there, but there’s none of the tedium that comes all too often with the genre.

Another great characteristic of the film is that there is no real bad guy, just a bunch of realistic people, caring and interesting in their own individual ways. At several points, especially with the introduction of a character played by Juliette Lewis, Grant could easily have fallen into the realm of stereotyping. Instead, she depicts situations in which there is no absolute right or wrong and characters can have conflicting desires but with equally understandable motivations.

“Catch and Release” is not unlike many chick-flicks you’ve already seen. It is, however, a very well-done chick-flick, with a talented cast and a relatable story that both women and men can enjoy. It’s genuine — a sweet story about loves of all kinds, both lost and found. “Catch and Release” is no great romance or lasting classic, but for two hours of varying levels of relationship intimacy and the honesty between friends and lovers, the film offers an enjoyable viewing experience.