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Movies / On DVD / Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe

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Definitely, Maybe (2008)

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Reviews Counted:138

Fresh:99

Rotten:39

Average Rating:6.5/10

Consensus: With a clever script and charismatic leads, Definitely, Maybe is a refreshing entry into the romantic comedy genre.

Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] Rated PG-13 for sexual content, including some frank dialogue, language and smoking.

Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:08-02-2008

Synopsis: Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes... Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the midst of a divorce, and his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants to understand what went wrong with her parents' relationship. She begs her father to tell her the entire story of how he met her mother. Will begrudgingly agrees, but changes the names of everyone involved, leaving it up to Maya to decipher who in the story is her mother. Thus Will begins his tale, weaving a romantic and amusing maze of missed connections and bad timing with the likes of three beautiful women: Summer (Rachel Weisz), April (Isla Fisher), and Emily (Elizabeth Banks). Will bounces from relationship to relationship, misunderstandings and confusion thwarting him every step of the way. Who will he end up with? Which woman is ultimately right for him? The film keeps Maya and the viewer guessing right until the very end, with a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant surprise twist tying it all together. Reynolds has long outgrown his VAN WILDER days, and does an excellent job of holding his own with the talented Fisher, Weisz, and Banks. The film is certainly a stand-out from the current crop of romantic comedies, in that the women are intelligent, well-drawn characters, and the relationships are painted with a funny, but realistic eye. And blessedly, it doesn't end with the standard blowout wedding that has become the hallmark of such films. DEFINITELY, MAYBE is a smart and sexy take on the complexities of love, and still manages to be kid friendly, while sending a very positive, honest message to children of divorce. [More]

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Kline

Director: Adam Brooks

Director: Adam Brooks
Screenwriter: Adam Brooks
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Composer: Clint Mansell
Studio: Universal Pictures

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Reviews for Definitely, Maybe

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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Sweet, funny, simple, entertaining -- everything a good rom-com should be. Definitely...

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
02/08/08
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An unusually soulful and appealing romantic comedy.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
02/06/08
Allan Hunter
Allan Hunter
Screen International

Definitely a comedy, maybe a romance -- has enough sophistication and surprise to keep even the most hardened curmudgeon smiling to the bittersweet end.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
02/01/08
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Enjoyable, emotionally engaging and frequently amusing romcom with a charming central performance from Ryan Reynolds and superb support from Abigail Breslin and the three lead actresses.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
02/07/08
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

A romantic comedy that manages to be cute without sending viewers barrelling into the bathroom to toss their cookies.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
02/12/08
Paul Arendt
Paul Arendt
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's sweet natured and brightly played.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/18/08
Xan Brooks
Xan Brooks
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Definitely, Maybe, written and directed by Adam Brooks, is a nimble and winning little romance.

comment Comment
02/14/08
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Most of the elements of this picture feel strongly borrowed from other successful romances. Still, the film makes for a quality Valentine's Day date that won't leave the men emasculated.

Full Review Source: HollywoodChicago.com | comment Comment
02/14/08
Adam Fendelman
Adam Fendelman
HollywoodChicago.com

The big question isn't "Does love exist?" but "Does love last?", a resigned philosophy that shares the stage with crisp, sharp jokes and insightful moments of recognition

Full Review Source: I.E. Weekly | comment Comment
02/14/08
Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson
I.E. Weekly

Rising above the commonplace and the cliché, it's wry, smart and just sentimental enough to warm the cockles of an audience's collective heart while skirting the treacherous shoals of the mawkish.

Full Review Source: Killer Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/06/08
Andrea Chase
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews

There's a refreshing adult quality in the film that kicks the film a notch above the rest of the romantic and comic fare currently available.

Full Review Source: KPBS.org | comment Comment
02/17/08
Beth Accomando
Beth Accomando
KPBS.org

Teen-friendly romcom about love's ups and downs.

Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | comment Comment
02/14/08
Betsy Bozdech
Betsy Bozdech
Common Sense Media

Nostalgic, warm, bittersweet, and thoroughly entertaining, 'Definitely Maybe' earns a place on my list of favorite contemporary romantic comedies.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/16/08
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

How is this for a proposition? From now on, Working Title Films is the only production company that is allowed to make films in this genre.

Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony | comment Comment
02/13/08
Bill Clark
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony

Definitely, Maybe is definitely a cut above your standard-issue genre fare, maybe way above.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
02/13/08
Bill Goodykoontz
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic

More how Harry met Sally than when, the above average Definitely, Maybe may not be destined to be a great comedy classic, but this valentine earns every sweet and believable moment.

Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com

By trading in metaphor and parallel structure, makes a compelling allegorical statement about just how stuck in a rut we collectively feel our nation is.

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
02/18/08
Brent Simon
Brent Simon
FilmStew.com

You're telling me that the script dreams up a main character who attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992, and he has no idea who Nirvana is? The screenwriter clearly wasn't doing his homework.

Full Review Source: OhmyNews.com | comment Comment
02/13/08
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
OhmyNews.com

The romantic comedy has become such a wasteland of physical humor, predictable plots, and nauseating manipulation that Definitely, Maybe is more remarkable for what it doesn't do.

Full Review Source: The Deadbolt | comment Comment
02/16/08
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
The Deadbolt

Who will our unlucky in love protagonist ultimately choose? Even if one correctly surmises, the journey is filled with quietly humorous and engaging moments.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
07/19/08
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
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Latest News for Definitely, Maybe

August 15, 2008: SpanishTeaching.co.uk: A bittersweet bedtime story about at least three babes who broke a guy's heart during his hard knocks, early adult years, in addition to, well, Bill Clinton. Opens in new window
More...

June 23, 2008: RT on DVD: A Killer Sopranos Set; WALL-E Gets a Friend
You thought the Sex and the City DVD collection was expensive? Start saving up for the ultimate Sopranos box set, coming this fall. Also look for a DVD spin-off from last... More...

June 18, 2008: A bittersweet bedtime story about at least three babes who broke a guy's heart during his hard knocks, early adult years, in addition to, well, Bill Clinton. Opens in new window
More...

March 06, 2008: Joan Cusack, John Goodman to Hear Isla Fisher's Confessions
It hasn't even been a month since Isla Fisher dazzled Ryan Reynolds in the Valentine's dramedy Definitely, Maybe, but she's already at work on her next film -- and she's got... More...

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