Documentary. Even after such impassioned docs as "Fahrenheit 9/11" and such radiant fare as "March of the Penguins" and "Winged Migration," the word keeps some moviegoers at a distance.

"My Date With Drew" should make you reconsider that thought.

This film is a relaxing, funny, even hilarious doc about one sweet geek's magnificent obsession with Drew Barrymore.

But, whatever you do, don't think stalker. Filmmaker Brian Herzlinger's methods of fulfilling his dream are largely honorable. He bends a few rules without breaking them. Mostly, he relies on the six-degrees-of-separation modus operandi. He finds someone who knows someone who knows someone, etc, etc, etc.

The film is cheerful and positive, without the smugness sometimes associated with those adjectives. Herzlinger doesn't condescend to either himself or the audience. It's a pro-dreamer movie without the tinge of sanctimoniousness.

It's also the kind of movie that makes you feel instantly like you're on a first-name basis with its maker. Brian has been enamored of Drew ever since he saw her in "E.T." as a child. After winning some money, he decides to follow his dream, and even the most pragmatic viewer will probably root for him.

His odyssey includes a bodybuilding agenda and the semi-crashing of a premiere and party. His arabesque methodology leads to interviews with Corey Feldman and Eric Roberts, both of whom seem delighted at the exposure. In the process, he must also call a former girlfriend, who is less than overjoyed at hearing from him.

Through the journey, the film builds goodwill, humor and even suspense. So how about it? Does Brian get his date with Drew and, if so, how does she respond? To find out, see the movie, but that's just one reason to see it.