Definitely, Definitely

I don't want to give much away but I highly recommend the romantic comedy "Definitely, Maybe". It's a warm, touching, funny movie that manages to be smart (rare for romantic comedies) and not formulaic (extremely rare for romantic comedies). Written and directed by Adam Brooks, it manages to be romantic, realistic and political.

It's not often you find a romance set against the backdrop of hope and scandal of the Clinton years but it works as a metaphor for the life of the hero, Will Hayes, brilliantly played by Ryan Reynolds. I will admit to having liked Ryan from all the way back when he was on "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Parlor". He is the only reason to watch "Blade: Trinity". But a lot of the characters he plays are sort of snarky, smart-assed men who are quick with a comeback line. Not that he isn't great at that, just try not to laugh at "Waiting" and he even made "Van Wilder" watchable. But it wasn't until I saw him at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in a movie called "The Nines" where I saw he had a great deal of depth as an actor as well. (Please rent "The Nines". It's a really interesting film that's funny, creepy, existential and entertaining. It also stars indie gal Hope Davis and the very nice Melissa McCarthy of "Gilmore Girls" and "Samantha Who"). It's great to see someone really using Ryan's talent. And nice to see he got over his breakup with Alanis Morrisette and is now engaged to Scarlett Johannsen. (Man, will they have beautiful babies or what?)

Abigail Breslin (from "Little Miss Sunshine") plays Will's daughter, Maya, and someone gave her the direction to not play it too cute (thank goodness) so she comes off as a really smart but vulnerable little girl. (As opposed to whomever directed her in "Kit Kittridge" because in the trailers for that she practically channels Shirley Temple on crack.) Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz and Isla Fisher (loved her as the crazy sister in "Wedding Crashers") are the women that Will meets, falls in love with, loses, and meets again and again.

I will admit, I love romantic comedies, even some of the bad ones ("27 Dresses" was so formulaic and got universally panned, yet I didn't think it was so awful, but then again I went in with really low expectations). But "Definitely, Maybe" is one I would watch over and over again. I even teared up at one point. It was a really nice story told really well. Definitely, definitely check it out.


This picture is of Ryan from when we met him at Sundance. I tried to snap a shot of him with my brother Will when they were talking but Ryan is really tall and Will isn't so I mostly just got Ryan's head. This is a slightly better picture of him.