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So far, it’s been a pretty pathetic year for romantic comedies. I’ve already had to sit through all kinds of uninteresting and unimaginative chick flicks—like Fool’s Gold and Over Her Dead Body. And even Katherine Heigl failed to impress me with her mediocre 27 Dresses.
But, ever the optimist, I still held on to just the slightest bit of hope that Definitely, Maybe would come through for me. Fortunately, it did—and it managed to restore my faith in chick flicks at the same time.
Definitely, Maybe is the story of one man’s search for The One. As Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) adjusts to his divorce, his daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin), wants to know how her parents fell in love in the first place. Before Will begins telling the whole complicated story, though, he decides to change the names—to let Maya try to figure out which of the women in Will’s life eventually became her mother.
What follows is a complex and captivating story that’s filled with twists and turns—as well as plenty of comedy and romance. Along the way, we meet Emily (Elizabeth Banks), Will’s college sweetheart who’s left behind in Wisconsin when Will takes a job working on Bill Clinton’s campaign in New York. There’s also Summer (Rachel Weisz), the mysterious journalist, and April (Isla Fisher), the cute copy girl at campaign headquarters. Each one plays a significant role in Will’s story—but only one is the woman he eventually marries.
This clever romantic mystery is, without a doubt, one of the most charming—and original—chick flicks to hit theaters in years. While the average romantic comedy typically follows the same well-worn (but still well-loved) formula (boy and girl meet, boy and girl hate each other, boy and girl fall in love and live happily every after), Definitey, Maybe is definitely different. Instead of telling a story about a boy and a girl, it’s the story of a boy and three girls. It’s complicated, and it’s messy—just like real life. And there’s no obvious outcome. In fact, there are plenty of surprises along the way. Try all you want, but you probably won’t be able to guess how everything will work out the end.
Along with the original story, though, Definitely, Maybe also offers an impossibly adorable cast. Reynolds may not be bumbling and British, but he could very well be the next Hugh Grant. He’s sweet and funny and boyishly charming—and he’s just plain loveable. But he’s not the only one. Breslin is once again cute without being creepy-child-star cute—and each of the three lead women is perfectly cast.
While I’m [sometimes] still a sucker for that old chick flick formula, it’s nice to see something fresh and creative every once in a while—and Definitely, Maybe is definitely a refreshing change of pace. It’s smart and sweet and even surprising, making it the perfect choice for a night out with your favorite Valentine.
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