Definitely, Maybe (2008)

You know what makes a good movie GREAT? Besides a good concept, a solid story, and good actors, of course? Chemistry. Chemistry is the key to a successful movie. When an actor comes onscreen and manages to have chemistry with all the other actors he shares the image space with, you can't help but notice, and the way you notice is you really enjoy the movie.

Ryan Reynolds, the star of Definitely, Maybe refers to this comedy as a "romantic who-done-it." And besides the fact that he's the actor I just spoke of--the one who has chemistry with everyone he shares the screen with--he is also correct in calling this a a romantic who-done-it. If you haven't seen the movie, I'm not going to spoil you on specifics, so read on with no fear.

This is the story of Will (Reynolds) and Maya (Abigail Breslin), his 10 year old daughter. After a sex-ed lesson gone wrong at school, Maya starts pumping her dad for information on how she was conceived; specifically, she wants to know how he ended up with her mother, who he is now going through what seems to be an amicable divorce with. Besides the fact that the father/daughter dynamic is so delightful to watch, we get a story that spans about 15 years and tells us the romantic history of Will Hayes, a young aspiring politician who moves from Madison, Wisconsin to NYC to work on the 1992 Bill Clinton campaign.

Through a series of flashbacks we meet Emily (Elizabeth Banks), April (Isla Fisher), and Summer (Rachel Weisz), the three most important women in Will's life. Each are significantly different from the other, each manage to break his heart in different ways, and each seem to have the possibility of being Maya's mother. And each actress has chemistry with Reynolds, which makes it really hard to predict who he'll end up with, though I knew who I wanted him to be with pretty early in the film.

He also has great chemistry with Derek Luke who plays his good friend, Russell, and Kevin Kline who has an amusing role as Summer's lover. The subplot of Will's political aspirations, as well as going back to 1992 to see the beginnings of cell phones, the Internet, and the campaign for the evils of smoking, are quite humorous. Reynolds can always be counted on the deliver fine physical comedy, but the actresses are equal in their ability. Rachel Weisz, is after all, an Oscar winner, but Elizabeth Banks has a really funny scene in Central Park, and Isla Fisher is perfectly charming, though her American accent slips now and again (she's an Aussie). The emotional moments are poignant and fresh, as is this story in a untried sort of way. This approach to the romantic comedy kept me riveted, and my stomach was in knots as I awaited the revelations of who was who. It really is a romantic who-done-it. Who does Will belong with? Who is Maya's mother? Who, at the end of the movie, will make our beleagured hero happy?

Beyond these simple, standard rom-com questions are bigger questions about timing, what we choose, and the reality of divorce for a 10 year old. Several years ago, another film tried to deal with this topic (Mrs. Doubtfire), but I never quite bought it in that one. The idea that kids are better off when their parents realize they can't work out their problems, but instead choose to have a healthy divorce instead of a healthy marriage rubbed me, a child of divorce myself, the wrong way back then. Either Abigail Breslin's screen presence, or the writing of this particular film, delivers the crushing blow in a beautiful and real way, and if you've been paying attention as you watch, in the only way the story can go.

Will always had a destiny, and when he finally takes fate into his own hands, you realize he could only have done it with the help of his daughter. One poignant line, delivered by the Oscar-nominated youngster of this film, "Dad, I can't believe you smoked, and drank, and were such a slut. But I still love you," must ring true as the hope of every parent out there. Whatever mistakes are made, at the end of the day, if your kid still loves you, you must be doing something right.

Direction 5/5
Acting 5+/5
Pacing 5/5
Plot/Writing 5/5