In association with

Definitely, Maybe [2008]
from Universal Pictures UK
starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks
directed by Adam Brooks

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

The latest romantic comedy from the Working Title production line, Definitely, Maybe got a little forgotten on its original cinematic release in early 2008. Yet beneath the covers here is a smart, enjoyable film, that does Ryan Reynolds' potential as a romantic lead no harm whatsoever.

The story of Definitely, Maybe is mainly told in flashback, as Reynolds' daughter in the film (played by Little Miss Sunshine's Abigal Breslin) quizzes him as to how he met his mother, who he’s in the process of getting a divorce from. Reynolds' tale follows three failed romances, and the film holds back on revealing the answer to its mysteries until pretty much the final reel.

Deftly written and directed by Adam Brooks (who previously had scribing credits on Practical Magic, Wimbledon and Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, among others), Definitely, Maybe has several factors in its corner. Firstly, the script is witty, well layered, and engaging. Secondly, the casting is good, too. Reynolds is in good form here, and Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher and Rachel Weisz turn in fine performances as the three women in his life. And finally, while only slightly outstaying its welcome, Definitely, Maybe achieves a satisfying balance of wit and romance, and then manages to squeeze in a great Kevin Kline cameo on top. Can't be bad.

It may not be talked about in the same breath as other Working Title successes such as Notting Hill and Love Actually, yet Definitely, Maybe is very worthy of DVD discovery. With good rewatch value too, it's a recommended buy. --Simon Brew

Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the midst of a divorce and his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants to understand what went wrong with her parents' relationship. She begs her father to tell her the entire story of how he met her mother. Will begrudgingly agrees, but changes the names of everyone involved, leaving it up to Maya to decipher who in the story is her mother. Thus Will begins his tale, weaving a romantic and amusing maze of missed connections and bad timing with the likes of three beautiful women: Summer (Rachel Weisz), April (Isla Fisher), and Emily (Elizabeth Banks). Will bounces from relationship to relationship, misunderstandings and confusion thwarting him every step of the way. Who will he end up with? Which woman is ultimately right for him?.
Reynolds has long outgrown his Van Wilder days, and does an excellent job of holding his own with the talented Fisher, Weisz, and Banks. The film is certainly a stand-out romantic comedies. The women are intelligent, well-drawn characters, and the relationships are painted with a funny, but realistic eye. Definitely, Maybe is a smart and sexy take on the complexities of love while sending a very positive, honest message to children of divorce.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• More "Standing on the shoulder of Giants" than "Definitely Maybe"
  Some two days after watching this romcom I am struggling to recall even the slightest detail. I remember child-actress Abigail Breslin being smug and annoying. I remember that I wondered why the makers bothered with the source material when this sort of thing has been done a million times before. And better. For what it's worth this a story about a guy who has regrets about relationships, with the story pushed along by him reminiscing at the behest of the aforementioned annoying little girl. Oh yes...I... more info

• Are you my mother?
  Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
  1. Will's getting divorced
  2. His daughter's learning about the birds and the bees in school
  3. He agrees to tell her about his love life and how he met her mother
  4. Names were changed to make it a mystery
  5. Emily was his first love
  6. Summer lovin' had him a blast
  7. He had pieces of April
  8. The main mystery is why he'd share all this information with a ten year old
  9. We learn about the women in his life... more info

• Pleasantly surprised
  Definately, Maybe was a pleasant surprise. Despite an interesting-looking trailer, I thought it was just going to be your average, predictable rom-com, but I was wrong.
  Sophisticated and funny, with believable characters and an interesting plot, the film follows Will Hayes telling the story of the 3 loves of his life to his young daughter. The cast are brilliant and create original, likeable characters, and the ending is not your typical finish.
  Well worth watching. :)

• Time for a change
  Finally, a romantic comedy that breaks the boundaries of clichéd romantic flicks and has enjoyable characters, a plot that is exciting, mysterious and funny and with plenty of twists to justify the genre that is often slated for it's predictability.
  Ryan Reynolds (Just Friends) stars as Will Hayes, a middle aged man who is coming close to a divorce and when his daughter asks about her mother, Will takes a look back at the past years of his life.
  Don't judge the film by the trailer because... more info

Similar Products:

More from Amazon