Rating  - A disappointment
I had high hopes for this movie because it was from the people who did "Love Actually" -- a favorite of mine. The cast seemed promising -- Abigail Breslin and Rachel Weisz -- but the plot just did not make sense and it was so boring! I thought that the premise was that Maya was raised by her dad and didn't know who her mother was. Was she dead? Out of the picture? None of the above as it turns out.
Her dad tells her the story of his three loves and how they went in and out of his life -- the trick is to guess which one of these is the story of how he and her mother met. She knows who her mom is -- she lives with her and she's just visiting dad for the weekend. How confusing is that! It felt like they changed the plot in the middle of the story. Don't bother with this little trifle. It's not worth your time.
Rating - How can a movie drag so?
Oh my gosh! This movie. I saw this a little bit after it came to DVD. I really have to say this movie is horrible. HORRIBLE! Ryan Reynolds is like a total playboy and doesn't know what he wants like 3/4 through the movie. Also, it is long. Too long! In the middle, it drags like nobody's business. Just alternating between the 3 ladies that he is involved with. Just choose dude!!
Rating  - Didn't Connect With It.
Definitely Maybe is the story of Will Hayes, a man going through a divorce, and his daughter Maya. Maya begs Will to tell her the story of her mother. Will obliges, changing the names of the women in the story so Maya has to guess which is her mother. It is here that the story starts.
I felt disconnected with this film. In the first ten minutes of the film, Maya Hayes talks about thrusting penises more than I have in the last ten years. Her character comes off as a 27 year old woman possessing the body of a ten year old girl. It didn't feel real, or honest. It felt more like the dialog that a young, childless and hip Hollywood writer would write. It felt clueless, and disconnected.
Will Hayes proceeds to tell his daughter his story, which includes his interaction with many women, threesome talk, and numerous scenes filled with sexual tension. This also didn't feel real. As a parent of 2 daughters myself, I just could not fathom the purpose behind this, nor could I see myself discussing threesomes, et al, with my young daughters. It was off center, to say the least.
Another flaw of the film are the many scenes filled with the political escapades of Will Hayes. They came off as forced, occasionally slipping into agenda driven. (A jab at George Bush is taken early on)
Overall, my wife and I were very disappointed with this flick. I wouldn't call it a romantic comedy, simply because the comedy was forced and the romance was almost non-existent.
Some might connect with this film. I don't begrudge you for watching it. I just couldn't connect with it at all.
Rating  - No if, ands or maybes; this is definitely a wonderful little film...
I, for one, am smitten with this film. Okay, so sure, it is not `perfect', but honestly, for the sake of this review we will label it as such. I seriously loved every minute of this movie and would watch it again, any place, any time.
The film tells the story of Will Hayes as he tries to explain to his ten-year-old daughter Maya how he met her mother. We find out immediately that Will and his wife are divorcing and he has his daughter for the night. She's curious as to how her parents got together and so Will tells her a story about the three women in his life and tells her that she has to figure out which one is her mother. Maya gets settled into her bed for her `love story mystery' and Will begins his tale of love, life and loss. Will tells of his relationships with Emily, Summer and April. Will and Emily were high school sweethearts who grew apart when Will's aspirations to become President of the United States wedged between them. Summer is the beautiful journalist who's own life goals waged war on her love affair with Will, and April is the spunky idealist who was always too much of a friend to ever become anything more.
Will's story is interesting and engrossing, but it is the beautiful story unfolding off screen between father and daughter that touched me deeply. Sure, the main focus may be on Will's love life, but we are constantly reminded that he is bonding with his daughter, and when Will finally tells Maya the happy ending I dare you to hold back the tears.
`Definitely, Maybe' may suffer in some areas from a clichéd script, but the script never feels tired or boring. It always rises above its own handicaps to create a story worth listening to and worth adoring. The ending is far from expected (thank the lord in heaven) and it is one that makes the entire experience all the more gratifying, especially as young Maya begins to understand the true meaning of happiness.
The acting is also, for the most part, superb. Young Abigail Breslin (Oscar nominated I should add) is not my general cup-of-tea when it comes to child acting. I tend to be more fascinated by the Ronan's and the Fanning's but I must say that her approach to Maya was warm and endearing. The three women in Will's life were all handled wonderfully by Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz and the outstanding Isla Fisher. Banks is perfectly warm, the ideal vision of the high school sweetheart (or the `safe' choice). Weisz is intoxicating, with her come hither stare and her mysterious smile. Fisher is above and beyond amazing as April, always keeping the audience glued to her every movement. She is so charming and sincere that one can't help but fall head over heals in love with her.
I have always found Reynolds rather bland (except for in `The Amityville Horror') and this is really no exception, but his co-stars elevate his performance drastically.
In the end I have to say that this is a delightful film, a wonderful answer back to the romantic comedy of today. It's charming, sweet and moving and will have you feeling warm and fuzzy all over by the time the credits start to roll. Sure, some may not find this as engaging and genuine as I have, but I guaranty you that any father (especially one's with daughters) will find this heartwarming to the very last drop.
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