Definitely, Maybe (2008)

Have you ever had a moment, where you just said-‘Why not?’ I had that moment. I was at the library, renting The Beatles’ album Let it Be, Say Anything…, and War of the Worlds when I saw the DVD of Definitely, Maybe and had a ‘Why not?’ moment. I am a Ryan Reynolds fan, and I am also a huge fan of Abigal Breslin, Isla Fisher, and Elizabeth Banks, so I picked the film up. This film is listed as a romantic comedy, and I never got that vibe from the film. It is a romance film, but it is a very sad film. The film has a very unique premise, being that Ryan Reynolds’ character Will Hayes is a man who is getting a divorce. His daughter Maya, played by Abigal Breslin, after her first sex-ed class (where the aftermath of that is some of the only funny dialogue in the film) asks Will to tell her the full story of how he and her mom met. So Will decides to change the name of his three serious girlfriends in the story, as one will end up to be Maya’s mother. Most of the rest of the film plays out in long flashbacks, which create the mystery for Maya that also is a mystery for the audience. I don’t know about other people that have seen the film, but I was spending the film trying to figure out the mystery. I am almost 100% sure this is what the filmmakers wanted, and they followed up. Also, the film is very emotional. There is a moment where Maya is reassured there is a happy ending to the story, but she doesn’t believe it at all. She starts to realize that this story is going to end sadly, being that whoever her mother is will just divorce Will in the present day. I actually started to tear up a little bit in the scene. There are other parts in the film that are actually pretty sad. This is a romantic drama film. And while I did enjoy it a lot, there are a few problems with the film. The scene that I mentioned earlier is never followed up in the film, switching from heavy drama right back to light romance at the tip of a hat. And as seen in my review of Thor, switching tones abruptly annoys the heck out of me. The film also has some moments, that just don’t work. I can’t put this feeling into words, but if you see the film, you will know what I mean. And despite the faults, Definitely, Maybe is a fun, inventive romantic drama that is very well worth your time.
8/10