Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Definitely, Maybe (2008)

Director: Adam Brooks

Time Out rating

Average user rating

20 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Richard Curtis would surely be wanting words with writer-director Adam Brooks had this not come out of his own Working Title stable. You wouldn’t be surprised if Curtis has had a touch on this film, which relocates his stumbling, cosy self-regard to New York, where ad exec Will (Ryan Reynolds) is on the brink of divorce.

When his young daughter (Abigail Breslin) asks how he met her mother, Will recounts the none-too-wild romantic misdemeanours of his twenties as she tries to guess which of the three women – he’s changed their names – is her mother. Is it plain-Jane college sweetheart Elizabeth Banks? Ambitious journalist Rachel Weisz? Or his slacker friend Isla Fisher?

‘Definitely, Maybe’ is not as clever as it thinks it is, or as funny, but is likeable enough (though the uncharismatic Reynolds is outclassed by his leading ladies, particularly Weisz and a sparky Fisher). There’s a timely political angle, with Reynolds coming to New York as an idealistic graduate to work on the ’92 Clinton campaign.

It’s easy-access stuff, Gennifer Flowers with her hairspray fringe on the TV and Bush Jr on the news talking with all the eloquence of a ball-player doing match analysis. When Will makes the final public-ish declaration of love (very Richard Curtis), Brooks resists the stickiest of his three possible endings, for which we must be grateful. That said, I couldn’t help feeling that here is a man who hasn’t found his dolphin, but simply run out of options. Which is a terrifically unromantic and very depressing thought.

Author: Cath Clarke

Time Out London Issue 1955 Feb 6 to 13, 2008

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Zooee and Carolina said...

Posted on Jul 08 2008 17:21 ITS SO AMAZING I REALLY WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN. ITS FABBBB! WOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report as inappropriate
usman khawaja said...

Posted on Apr 19 2008 19:29 definitely deserves a ditching
If you are dreading the clintons taking over the white house again then dont worry as this will solve your dilemmas, as ryan reynolds plays a bright young wannabe democratic presidential candidate in this moronic romcom meets political yarn,despite the fact that his facial expressions are limited to a socalled boyish smile and a quizzical look which is semi-whimsical and totally vacant,he is also described by one of his three love interests in the movie as having seductive eyes and cloth ripping gorgeous ,if so he is an equally dumb bad actor who needs some acting lessons,but then so does the script writer as the narration goes hay wire after Ryan Reynolds [WILLIAM HAYES ] precocious daughter learns about sexual conception at school -she starts shouting penis ,vagina -and he has to make a fantasy about how he met her alleged mom and conceived her,which remains a mystery to all mortals TILL THE cliched finale as he and 3 really bad actresses enact the who is going to be the final mom role in this absurdly pretentious comedy .
In one the most inadvertently funny scene meant to be a nifgt after meaningful conversation fisher-ryan talk like 3year olds in some of the worst lines written as meaningful romantic contentment -nowonder they break up a zillion times to the cliched end.
The setting is yuppy manhattan and the political premises clintons 1992 presidential campaign,so we here all sorts of wannabe smart dumb dialogue immersed in chic french like touche and one of the ladyloves goes to a european pilgrimage to pisa as well.all very bohemian but its like someone is hammering your head with a bucketful of nails,if anyone lives a life like this its only the reason why they are so miserable to relieve themselves by creating a movie as impossible to watch as this,a royal torture worse then OVER MY DEAD BODY,even the child star is awful and reminds me of hayley mills worst performances which were better then this .
For once CENTRAL PARK looks like a total bore and even a shot of bill clinton jogging doesnt infuse any joy ,the ironical aspects are FLOWERS accusing CLINTON of adultery and then the monica episode of the oral sex in the oval office being discussed in the movie while everybody plays sexual musical chairs ,a nice metaphor as a concept but ruined by an amateur script ,poor exection and awful acting.
The funniest moment is when george bush appears in a tv clip from the nineties , insisting he served as a TEXAS RANGER as well as an added qualification to his political biodata [and he sure behaves like a ranger to date ],mr.bush at least has a more expressive countenance then mr ryan reynolds for all his flaws and if this is meant to be a promo for clinton campaign ,then its going to be just as disastrous as this rotten movie ,cheers ,
usman khawaja - jbz7879

Report as inappropriate
DONNA said...

Posted on Mar 02 2008 17:14 really fab movie great for a laugh

Report as inappropriate
Roxanne said...

Posted on Mar 02 2008 08:54 Good film, made me laugh. Not the best film ever but its worth watching. 7/10.

Report as inappropriate
Jackie and Dave said...

Posted on Feb 25 2008 12:55 Absolute rubbish, really boring..................

Report as inappropriate
Tiffany said...

Posted on Feb 24 2008 10:40 i thought this film was ok, it was kinda soppy which made it kinda cute, if your into soppy romantics, u shud make this a go see. I felt like it dragged a bit, but it weren't bad overall.

Report as inappropriate
angel izzy said...

Posted on Feb 23 2008 17:01 this film is great i really liked this film .any one my age will love this film because it is so good i rate this film 6/6 i think you wll like it too

Report as inappropriate
isobel said...

Posted on Feb 23 2008 16:58 this film is great i really liked this film .any one my age will love this film because it is so good i rate this film 6/6

Report as inappropriate
chris said...

Posted on Feb 22 2008 22:32 soppy...... only boring people should watch it

Report as inappropriate
Benji-X said...

Posted on Feb 16 2008 18:42 12A dude

Report as inappropriate
candyheratss said...

Posted on Feb 16 2008 10:19 the film is a 12 a i think and im goin to see it tonight and i will tell yall what its like... xxmwahxx

Report as inappropriate
*@#?¬! said...

Posted on Feb 14 2008 16:51 wuh age is dis film coz it looks good???

Report as inappropriate
hollie said...

Posted on Feb 12 2008 14:41 i reckn dis cud b a gd film 4 d loverzz,, x x x :D:D .<3

Report as inappropriate
sophie x said...

Posted on Feb 12 2008 10:34 kl film.... really good i wud recomend it

Report as inappropriate
rachy said...

Posted on Feb 11 2008 19:04 wat is the age x

Report as inappropriate