'Definitely' a pleasant surprise

When first introduced to the premise of Adam Brooks's romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe, you probably will not think much about it. A freshly divorced father, Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is persuaded by his daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin), to tell her the story of how he met her mother. Yes, it sounds cute, but also potentially awkward or unfulfilling. If you, like me, thought this when you first saw the trailer, you are in for an extremely pleasant surprise.

Will begins his story as he is preparing to go to New York to work on the Clinton campaign, leaving behind his college sweetheart, Emily (Elizabeth Banks). She asks him to stay, but Will tells her that it is important for his future goals to go. Also, it is only for two months. Before he leaves, Emily gives him a package to deliver to an old college friend of hers, Summer (Rachel Weisz). Upon his arrival, it becomes apparent that the campaign leaders have hired Will as an errand boy rather than an actual campaign advisor. In this, he struggles, feeling like a joke. While there, Will meets April (Isla Fisher), the copy girl at the campaign headquarters, and the two of them develop a mocking and flirtatious banter and become close friends. These three women are the central female figures in the story of Will and how he met Maya's mother.

The story that Will tells his daughter covers a span of over five years and is every bit as complicated as he tells Maya it will be. Will plans to propose to Emily; unfortunately, when he does so, she confesses to having cheated on him with his roommate. For the audience, this moment is mixed with empathy for Will and humor because of the textbook creep who was his roommate. A few years pass, and he becomes involved with Summer, who also inevitably breaks his heart. April remains his friend during this time, although it is apparent to everyone except Will that she is actually in love with him.

As Will spins this story for his daughter, she tries to figure out which of the three women is her mother. Breslin does an amazing job of portraying the emotions of a young girl in such a difficult situation. At the onset of the story, she was hoping that her father would rediscover what it is that he loved about her and decide that the two of them should be together. Things soon become clear that it is a different woman with whom his heart lies. Breslin skillfully shows the conflicting emotions that any child in this situation would feel.

Reynolds also does an excellent job in his role. As each relationship crumbles, his heartache is palpable. He skillfully switches from freshly brokenhearted to a man reminiscing about old wounds. In the scenes where Reynolds is talking to his daughter, it feels like he is telling a real story about a time when he was hurt. It causes viewers to think about the parts of their own past that, although so long ago, still hurt to think about today. The power of such a portrayal penetrates the whole movie and allows the audience to truly get attached to the story.

Definitely, Maybe is a very unique spin on a romantic comedy. It is no fairytale romance or quick and simple progression. Rather, it has more of a realistic and personal vibe to it. It is not one story, it is a life, which may not be perfect, but in the end you figure it out. When Will finally goes to the woman he truly loves, even after all the time that has passed, the audience feels the years of anticipation melt and is left feeling fully satisfied. It is by no means a perfect fairytale ending, but that is what makes this movie great, as it is more honest than any other love story you may see. Real love is complicated, but every bit as wonderful as in a story. A-