There's nothing particularly unique about "My One and Only," except that the story is inspired by incidents in the childhood of actor George Hamilton.

But this is not a Hollywood biopic. It's more of a screwball-comedy-poignant coming-of-age story, set in 1953.

Renee Zellweger plays Anne Deveraux, a gold digger with a big heart, unlikely to win any mother of the year contests. A cockeyed optimist, she leaves her philandering bandleader husband (Kevin Bacon), impulsively buys a new Cadillac and takes off for parts unknown, with teenage sons in tow.

She has no plan, no job, not much money and little instinct for single parenthood. Anne is not abusive, but she is seriously inattentive. Her devil-may-care attitude and focus on finding a new provider for herself and her sons lead to filial resentment. The boys are pretty much left to their own devices.

Zellweger does a fine job of giving Deveraux dimension, allowing her sense of humor and sympathetic qualities to coexist with her ditzy self-centeredness.

But the film really belongs to the actors playing her sons: Logan Lerman is sympathetic and intelligent as the cynical George. His enthusiastic and effeminate older brother, Robbie, is played by Mark Rendell, whose comic timing and one-liners are the highlights of the movie.

Anne drags her sons from city to city with unflagging cheerfulness and maddening self-absorption. Now middle-aged, her flirty charms don't hold as much sway, and she endures a series of humiliations.

A suave military beau (Chris Noth) proves to be a cruel bully, while a wealthy former suitor (Eric McCormack) spurns her for a much younger woman. Her series of romantic misadventures culminates in marriage to an affluent swain (David Koechner) who is not what he appears to be.

Meanwhile, George is clamoring to live with his immature father. Bacon is coolly insouciant as a swinging musician in this small but key part.

Screenwriter Charlie Peters provides quick-witted dialogue, and Richard Loncraine's direction is capable and visually appealing. "My One and Only" has an old-fashioned sensibility — and some lovely "Mad Men"-style costumes — making for a pleasantly diverting road movie.