“Definitely, Maybe” is definitely not a must-see. With several disconnected plotlines and an uninspired message, the movie fails to distinguish itself from other generic romantic comedies.
The story begins when Maya (played by Abigail Breslin, in a role far less charming than her “Little Miss Sunshine” character) receives a sex-ed lesson at school, and becomes interested in knowing the story behind her parents’ romance.
Even though her parents are going through a divorce, she wants to know what originally made them fall in love.
The movie then unfolds as a combination of bedtime storytelling and flashbacks, as Maya’s dad William (Ryan Reynolds) recounts his past romances, letting his daughter guess which old flame became her mother.
She has three options to pick from, and each of William’s former girlfriends unfortunately fits neatly into a boring, one-dimensional stereotype ““ there’s Emily (Elizabeth Banks), the sweet girl next door, April (Isla Fisher), the unconventional free spirit and finally, Summer (Rachel Weisz), the ambitious intellectual.
The highlight of the three actresses is by far Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz. Weisz does the best she can with Summer, bringing a witty and refreshing appeal to her poorly written character, and making her more relatable than the others.
There are moments of comedy as William reflects on his younger self ““ troubles with getting taken seriously at work, adjusting to life in New York City, getting over his college sweetheart ““ and Reynolds’ bashful, earnest persona helps make these sections of the film the most enjoyable.
The injection of his conversation with Maya in between the nostalgic looks back is an annoying interruption and does little to move the story along.
Just when the audience feels it is getting to know the makeup of William’s past, the movie cuts back to the present day, where Maya lies in bed, pleading for more details to aid her quest to discover the origins of her parents’ relationship.
Out of the film’s many plotlines, one of the more interesting focuses is William’s career as a political activist. Fresh out of college, William moves to New York to work on Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign.
Ever the idealist, he arrives prepared to write speeches and make a difference, only to find himself fetching coffee and making copies.
Eventually, he works his way up and enjoys the satisfaction of Clinton’s victory. Staying true to history, the film also touches on Clinton’s infamous indiscretions, and William is disappointed and disgusted to discover his political hero’s fallibilities.
Although minor, the Clinton subplot adds a surprising, and therefore welcome, political twist to the tired romantic-comedy formula.
However, subplots can only make up for so much of a film’s writing and character shortcomings.
Though tenuous dialogue and disconnected scenes weigh down “Definitely, Maybe,” it has its redeeming moments, which occur in large part due to Reynolds’ charm.
With the on-screen charisma of Reynolds, the audience can’t help but root for its protagonist, even though his trials are predictable.
-Elizabeth Packer
E-mail Packer at epacker@media.ucla.edu.