DEFINITELY MAYBE
US, 2008, 111 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Rachel Weisz, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks, Derek Luke.
Directed by Adam Brook.
Young Maya (Abigail Breslin, who has made such an impact in such films as Keane, No Reservations and Little Miss Sunshine), tells her father, William (Ryan Reynolds) that the story he is telling her and the audience is a romance and a mystery. She wants to know how he and her mother (who are now getting divorced) met and fell in love. She wants to know whether he had other girlfriends – and is shocked at times in his telling of the story to discover that he smoked, drank and, according to her standards, was the male equivalent of a slut.
Poor old William wasn’t quite that bad but we are in an age where a huge past scandal is smoking!
The way William tells Maya his story is to narrate it in linear fashion, (which we see in the extended flashbacks) without giving away which of the women he describes is actually her mother. There are three candidates. There is childhood sweetheart, Emily (Elizabeth Banks), whom he leaves in Wisconsin when he goes in 1992 to work for the Clinton campaign in New York. There is Emily’s college friend, Summer (Rachel Weisz) who is in a relationship with her drinking and womanising professor-author-critic whose name is (symbolically) Roth (Kevin Kline). And then there is April (Isla Fisher) who has no political convictions but has a basic common sense about life in general but who really needs to grow up and put her talents to good use.
I guessed wrongly about the mother, but the ending reassured me that I had actually read the film correctly after all. You will have to see the film to find out the ending – although it is one of those light comedy romances that is not essential viewing at all, though there is a bonus in the comments about Bill Clinton, campaigning, Monica Lewinsky etc as well as a joke at George W. Bush’s expense – and the US’s and for all of us).
The performances are quite good. Isla Fisher does kooky rather well (Wedding Daze, The Wedding Crashers). Rachel Weisz can do sophisticated charm as can Elizabeth Banks. The impact of the film rests on Ryan Reynolds who can do very crass (Van Wilder Party Liaison, Waiting), comic action (Blade 3), nice comedy (Just my Luck) as well as intelligently serious (The Nines). He does a pretty good job here. Writer-director, Adam Brooks, wrote Wimbledon and Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason.
1.The popular romance, comedy, mystery?
2.The New York settings, the city, the 90s, the Clinton campaign, pre-Internet etc? The touch of nostalgia? The musical score, songs?
3.The background of the Clinton campaign, the campaign for governor, the criticism of Clinton, the Monica Lewinsky case? The jibe at President Bush?
4.The introduction to William Hayes, his office, job, advertising, his frustration, the divorce papers, picking up Maya at school, the crowd of kids, the sex education class, her explicit language, his embarrassment, at home with her?
5.Maya, her age, her relationship with her parents, at school, the sex education, criticising her father for smoking and drinking, wanting the male equivalent for slut? Wanting to hear the story of her parents’ meeting, listening, speculating, her writing notes?
6.William telling the story, the linear (*?) fashion, the element of mystery? William and his Wisconsin background, relationship with Emily, leaving, his dream, leaving the roommate behind, his lack of scruple? New York, the job, having to get the coffee, the mess with the toilet rolls, April and her laughing, working with Russell, Kelly, Gareth giving him orders, Roblado as the boss? At work, in the apartment, with Russell, reading the diary, going to see Summer, meeting the professor, his critique of politics? His selling the tables for the benefit dinner, on the up? Emily’s visit, the ring, rehearsing with April, the proposal, the truth and his dismay? His meeting with Summer, the relationship, her writing the article, success? His forming his own company with Russell? The ring for Summer, meeting April? The professor, the challenge of the new article, his asking her not to publish, Russell going away, the campaign failing? The benefit dinner for Roblado, Clinton coming, Chicago and the weather, the unions – and William’s ability to sort things out?
7.Audiences with Maya speculating which of the three women was her mother?
8.The years passing, meeting Summer, their talk, her inviting him to the party, buying the copy of Jane Eyre for April? Going to the apartment, meeting Kevin, not giving her the book? Meeting Emily at the party?
9.Emily as the mother, in the park, going to the zoo, the arguments? The divorce papers, his signing them?
10.The visit to April, her working for Amnesty, her completing her studies, the book and her being upset at getting it?
11.Maya, persuading William to go and visit April, her motivation, the issue of the different names and April’s being the true name, counting to thirty, going, April coming out, the truth about the book, his wanting to have part of her? The happy ending?
12.A satisfying look at contemporary relationships, difficulties in commitment, children?
