Definitely Maybe Review
In subject matter alone, Definitely, Maybe is a lot like "How_I_Met_Your_Mother: The Movie." A cleverly structured story told by a father, in which he challenges his daughter to identify her mother from among three different love interests, would be more than enough to sustain a good date movie released just in time for Valentine's Day. Yet writer-director Adam_Brooks isn't content with something so conventional. In fact, he's also managed to make Definitely, Maybe a period piece involving the presidency of Bill_Clinton. Going well beyond expectations, Brooks uses the politician's tumultuous career as a metaphor for how the bloom comes off the rose in any courtship, making Clinton a narrative touchpoint -- from fresh-faced candidate to weary veteran strung up by his own semantics. It's an apt metaphor, as Will Hayes (Ryan_Reynolds) is divorcing his wife, meaning the story within the story will have an unhappy ending. If this sounds too ambitious or a bit of a bummer, that's underestimating Brooks' bright writing and finesse with his attractive and charming cast. The role of romantic leading man suits Reynolds just fine; in fact, the actor seems relieved to abandon the over-the-top schtick of his past roles. Whether Will's in the arms of April (Isla_Fisher), Emily (Elizabeth_Banks), or Summer (Rachel_Weisz), the exchanges are lively and funny. What's more, Brooks does a decent job creating suspense over the identities of both his wife and his true love. Most viewers will pick up on where the clues point -- conventionally structured as those clues must be -- but that doesn't make the journey any less enjoyable. Fisher, Banks, and Weisz see to that, with a little help from a precocious Abigail_Breslin as Will's daughter, and an acerbic Kevin_Kline as a boozy college professor. Derek Armstrong, Rovi
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