Definitely, Maybe (2008) Reviews

• Perfect casting is what makes this movie wonderful

  Dragoneyed3632008-07-01

  I was completely astonished the first time I saw the movie, Definitely, Maybe. It truly was, as my summary suggests, absolutely wonderful, and that has mostly to do with the performances by the casts' dedication, though the plot and execution of the entire film was remarkable, as well, and the whole atmosphere and the way the movie folds out is incredible. It was so touching and completely entertaining from beginning to end, while being humorous and overall fun at the same time. The acting was great, as I have said, and the script was great, because of everyone who worked on the films' professionalism and believability. They did a perfect job on this movie, and I thought they couldn't have done better with what they had to work with. There was some material I found a bit iffy, and at one point I felt as if I was losing interest, just a little, but this movie is so uplifting that I couldn't manage to look away, and it kept being miraculously beautiful and enchanting that I couldn't help but be so interested. It deserves any positivity it receives, and I hope that many more people will watch it, because it is an excellent movie, that needs to be spread around for it's wonderfulness. Go see it if you haven't!

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• Great storytelling makes otherwise ordinary rom-com something special.

  RikerDonegal2008-03-21

  When his ten-year-old daughter starts asking awkward questions about his impending divorce - and his life before she was born - a thirtysomething Manhattan dad sits her down and tells her the story of his three great loves. He changes the names to keep the surprise of who he eventually married, and he spins a charming story - spanning fifteen years - of loves lost and found and lost again. And found again. Ryan Reynolds (one of my all-time favourite performers) has seldom been better, Abigail Breslin (who appears frequently to comment on the story being told) is as genuinely charming as ever, and all three girlfriends are wonderfully cast. The story moves along at brisk pace and it's easy to see why the hero would fall in love with each in turn (at various stages in his life). What's not as easy to see is which one he will eventually marry. And, as well as successfully concealing the identity of the mother, the film makes you wonder many times how it will all end. Yes, it's a romantic comedy, so you're conditioned to expect a happy ending, but this isn't your typical romantic comedy so you're expecting a non-typical ending. And you're right. The ending is just as clever as the rest of the movie and it makes for a great story overall. It's a very modern story. I think it would have been called "a sophisticated sex comedy" in bygone days. Which just means the characters are a bit more mature and closer to real life than you normally find in this genre. What could have been an enjoyable B-grade rom-com is lifted up by unconventional storytelling and a little extra effort spent to get the ending just right. Grade "A" from me. http://yetanotherfilmreviewblog.blogspot.com/

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• A Believable Tale with a Big, Big Heart

  nturner2008-11-07

  This turned out to be a surprisingly good little romance with touches of humor. I must admit that I wasn't expecting much when I sat down to watch this film, but it turned out to be a total viewing pleasure for me. One of the reasons for my low expectations is that I had just watched Chaos Theory in which Ryan Reynolds plays the role of a family man whose life is turned upside down. In fact both films start the same why in which an older, wiser Ryan tells the story in a series of flashbacks. From there on, they couldn't be farther apart. Whereas Chaos Theory is a mess of hysteric scenes and overacting, Definitely, Maybe is a believable tale with a big, big heart. The film begins with Will Hayes (Reynolds) contemplating his divorce papers saying to himself that he never expected to be at such a place in his life. Not only is he getting a divorce, he is a successful advertising man - a career path he never intended for himself. The great joy in his current life is the time he gets to spend with his daughter, Maya. There is a very humorous scene early in the film when Will goes to pick up Maya at school for an overnight visit. It seems the children have been given an introductory sex education lesson and there appears to be chaos and disorder caused by the first realizations of the facts of life. That evening, Maya, who is no slouch in the brains and maturity department, wants to know the story of her parents' romance and marriage. Will decides to tell her the story of the three women in his life that had influenced him the most, but he does not disclose to Maya or the audience which is Maya's mother. Using this premise, we are treated to a look at the life and romances of an interesting and very likable man. The tale starts with Will leaving his college sweetheart to go to New York City and work for the Clinton campaign in 1990. As the story progresses, we see Will maturing and changing from an idealistic young man to a somewhat wearied and discouraged citizen of the Clinton era. Along the way, he develops relationships with three extraordinary women - one of whom would become his wife and Maya's mother. I have read several reviews that do not praise Ryan Reynolds for his portrayal of Will, but I disagree. Reynolds is a suitable actor, and this part of Will might have been designed for him. He shows us the wide-eyed innocence of a young man first delving into the mire of politics and is then able to show that same young man matured and much wiser of the world. His performance is very good. Maya is played by Abigail Breslin who at a tender age is an excellent actress. Maya's character is extremely precocious and asks some very adult questions for her age, but she is still a little girl at heart. Breslin give the viewer a perfect Maya. I wonder if she will continue to be the consummate actress into her adulthood. Hers is definitely a career to follow. I've stated in previous reviews that I am a sap for tenderhearted movies such as Definitely, Maybe, so I may be biased in giving it five stars, but five stars it is. If you, also, enjoy a film with a heart, give this one a watch.

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• Maybe the 'Best romantic comedy since Annie Hall'

  napierslogs2010-07-10

  "Definitely, Maybe" was marketed with the line "Best romantic comedy since Annie Hall." At first I was appalled because it must be a lie, and how dare they put it in the same sentence as Woody Allen. But as I struggled to find many examples of what could be the best, I relented my negativities towards this film. It is just your standard romantic comedy but with a few differences to set it apart. Instead of just one, we have three main relationship stories being told. And they set it all to the rise and fall of Bill Clinton's presidency. A fitting and very refreshing political addition. Ryan Reynolds, as handsome and funny as ever, tells us and his 11 year-old daughter about his three past relationships. They spend way too long building up these relationships because the course they take is pretty obvious from the get-go, but at least he ends up with the right girl. I view "Definitely, Maybe" as just a collection of some very funny scenes. As Reynolds picks up his daughter after school and she tells him about the sex ed class they just had, it's impossible not to laugh at the confused and crude Abigail Breslin. It may be wrong to have kids saying some of the things they did, but it's hilarious. The filmmakers seem to view it as more ground-breaking than it really is, but "Definitely, Maybe" is still good and funny and maybe (only maybe) the best romantic comedy since "Annie Hall"(1977).

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• Definitely a must see movie

  robertallenandersonjr2008-04-09

  I just saw this movie today and I loved it. I was the only teenage guy in the theatre also. The movie had a great message to it about always being happy. The little girl in this movie was also great she brought a lot to this movie, with out her this would not have been a good movie. The acting was good and the direction was especially good as well. I saw this with my dad today and it brought tears to his eyes. So this movie was also a tear jerker. For someone that loves romantic comedy movies I think would love this movie. It was a little slow moving but I kind of expected it to be. After it got near the end of the movie though it really got you thinking and wishing for him to end up with the girl he was meant to be with. It kind of also took little twists which were good as well. Ryan Reynolds did a terrific job in this movie playing a father who is going through a divorce. Then his daughter tries to help him find his true love. This movie was everything I hoped for so I think that you should definitely take someone to see this movie and have a great time.

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