Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is a dad who is about to get divorced. His daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants to hear the story of how her parents met. When Will tells the story of his romantic life, however, he begins to see things in a new light. Maya tries to figure out which of the women in his life is her mother- the college sweetheart (Elizabeth Banks), the feisty best friend (Isla Fisher), or the sophisticate (Rachel Weisz). And is that woman who Will is supposed to end up with?

CRITIQUE

Critics seem to have unofficially agreed lately that the romantic comedy is the easiest genre to get wrong. Very few of the entries into this genre recently have seemed to earn their approval (but it’s still my favorite type of film!). To me, though, a film of any type can be fresh without needing to completely revolutionize it’s genre. Definitely, Maybe injects fresh life into the romantic comedy genre in terms of story but also has winning performances and appealing direction.

The cast is a good place to begin pinpointing the success of this film. Reynolds has an ease with comedy that smoothes over any blandness in the performance, while each of the four women in his life are inhabited by actresses with a lot of talent. Banks and Weisz make the solid impressions their characters need to, while Fisher add one more performance to her resume that proves her comedic and leading lady possibilities. Little miss Breslin shines too!

These performers have also the benefit of a strong script. The elements of a coming-of-age journey are woven alongside the comedy when the story begins, and the fit feels natural. The passing of time in the story is handled in a way that keeps the audience’s interest as well, but the best element of the story is it’s who-done-it aspect. Which of the women is Maya’s mother? Will the same woman be who Will ends up with? This is also the facet of the narrative that sets it apart from other romantic comedies. The only small peeve some viewers may have with the story is the fact that Will reveals a bit of her mother’s sex life to his daughter. The character is presented as mature enough to handle it but it may stick out to some.

Brooks, as a writer and director, cleverly but subtly points the audience toward the woman who will win Will’s heart. The way the scenes are staged is a part of this, as is the dialogue. I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone, but Brooks cheekily has her say the title of the film in one scene. As for direction, I like the camera work Brooks uses sometimes and there’s a nifty title sequence. Definitely, Maybe is a recent bright spot in the romantic comedy genre due to its successful script, direction, and acting.

THE VIDEO

Anamorphic widescreen is, again, the best format for home viewing. The fact that the transfer of both color and picture is reliable (as usual) means that the theatrical experience is preserved.

THE AUDIO

Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, the ubiquitous format, is reliably perfect for not just the English track but also the Spanish and French language tracks here. There are also subtitles offered for all three languages.

THE EXTRAS

Audio Commentary: Writer/director Brooks and Reynolds join for a track. They can be quite funny together, aside from the usual praise for coworkers and shooting info you get in these tracks. I like the discussion of the first joke of a film in reference to the one in this film which works very well, and I also think its great that Reynolds picked out one moment where his character falls in love with each woman. Best of all may be the wisdom Brooks showed in the editing of the final scene (which I won’t spoil here!).

Deleted Scenes: There are just over 5 minutes of footage here and the scenes are mostly funny and would have easily integrated with the rest of the film. A very small subplot about Will changing jobs appears here, as does a tiny bit more of Fisher’s strong performance.

Creating a Romance: This is the typical making-of doc with interviews from the cast, director, and producers. The characters are discussed well, but my favorite part is when Derek Luke says that little Abigail Breslin is probably the reason he wanted to do the film! This extra may also make the viewer more appreciative of the performances of Weisz and Fisher, as they speak here with their natural English and Australian accents, respectively, while in the film they pull off American accents.

The Changing Times of Definitely, Maybe: The time lapse between the story’s beginning in 1992 and end in the present is the focus of this extra and it is a good one. Interviews again make up the bulk of it, and it is cool to hear the cast discuss the fact that hair, costume, and makeup through the years was a factor. The coolest bit may be how the “2 Guys Deli” in the film changes.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The narrative of Definitely, Maybe brings a refreshing change to the romantic comedy genre while retaining it’s guidelines at the same time. The talented cast make the best of the humor and romance. The disc has value added to it by the wonderful extra features.