I suspect that most kids, at one point or another, ask about how their parents met. I know I did, and both my kids did. For some parents this is a moment to treasure, as they get to regale their children with one of the great stories of their youth, for others it may bring back painful memories and still others might just not have anything they find particularly interesting to say. I found the story of my parents' first date hilarious as a kid and their proposal romantic as a teenager. I didn't see complications and shades of grey like I do now. In Definitely, Maybe a young girl learns that even parents don't always get things right and love is a complicated business.

Will (Ryan Reynolds) is getting divorced. That's where we enter the story. After a brief voice over explaining a bit about himself and his current situation, we get right to the heart of the film. Daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) has unexpectedly learned just enough sex ed in school to start asking questions about her dad and mom. She wants to know how they met and got married and she wants the whole story. It seems she's been told before that "it's complicated". With her new information she feels that she's ready for "complicated" and pushes for the whole story. Dad reluctantly gives in - with a few conditions. He gets to change names and a few other things and the story becomes a mystery. Since Maya wants to know all about her father and his girlfriends, she can figure out which of the three women who played major roles in his past went on to become his wife and her mother. The film then goes to flashback and the young Will setting out on his adult life where he will meet the women who shape his future.

I freely admit that the premise is more than a little convoluted. It seems a mean game to put a young girl through just to find out how her (now divorcing) parents met and she came to be. But as we learn about Will's past and the road that led to Maya, the more we understand that "complicated" may just be the best explanation after all. A straight telling of the story would make little sense to a child who doesn't understand the delicate balance of feelings, timing and circumstance that lead to and sustain any relationship. By making it into a sort of fairy tale, Will takes the edge off the harsher realities and makes Maya a part of the story, rather than a stranger just waiting to see how she fits in. Once past the initial conceit, the way the story is told becomes very endearing. Will loves Maya - he wants her to learn things for herself that she wouldn't understand if he just flat out told her. Reynolds and Breslin don't have a lot of screen time together since the film is mostly flashback, but the little they have is touching and they have a nice father/daughter chemistry that doesn't feel forced or sappy.

Ryan Reynolds is a good looking guy, but he isn't a pretty boy. His fabled chiseled abs are not on display here and he has to rely on more than his appearance to make the film work. He succeeds nicely. His Will is something of an everyman, with dreams that didn't pan out, a job he sort of fell into and a marriage that didn't turn out the way he had hoped. As he begins to reminisce in the telling of the story, he becomes as involved as Maya in the tales of his past. As an older, hopefully wiser, adult, he begins to see things differently than he did in his youth. Reynolds is earnest but can pull off a certain amount of witty banter. Writer/director Adam Brooks knows when to put the plug on the one-liners and take things down a notch. This isn't a Jim Carrey movie - it's more romance than straight-up comedy. Both verbal and situational comedy are used sparingly but effectively. We end up really liking Will and because of the storytelling style, we understand some of the mistakes he makes as he muddles his way from young idealist to father and storyteller. Reynolds proves here that he has what it takes to play at least a minimally developed character and play him well - romantic comedy is a good genre for him.

Abigail Breslin continues to prove that she's more than just a cute little girl. In fact, she isn't the prettiest little girl that has ever lived - but she's adorable in a real way. She looks like a real child who laughs and hurts and loves her parents. She's an excellent young actress and I hope she continues to take small roles in small films lest she fall into the overexposed trap of the "child star". She is excellent as Maya, who not only wants information because she learned about intercourse, but also because she needs help understanding her parents' divorce.

Something that really stands out for me (in a good way) about Definitely, Maybe is the score. Most of the time I only notice a score when it's annoying. In this case it hits all the right notes without being overbearing or telegraphing every moment of the film. There are a few hit songs to punctuate the time period (early to mid 1990's) and every one works well. The score itself is understated and pretty, it simply fits the tone of the film.

One word of caution - politics. Definitely, Maybe is not a political movie, but quite a bit of it takes place in the early 1990's and centers on the first presidential campaign of Bill Clinton. Will is most certainly a democrat. There is no preaching, in fact there are some pretty funny jokes relating to how things actually panned out as the young idealists talk about the future. But if all things Democrat turn you off, this may not be a good choice for you.

Under most circumstances, the romantic comedy and I have a rocky relationship at best. I very often hate the underlying messages of love at first sight or happily ever after (with no effort) or people having only one true soul mate without whom they are destined to live in solitary misery. Definitely, Maybe avoids all of my pet peeves while remaining both romantic and funny - and even a little touching. For anyone who loves those stories of how people met - or even if you hate them because they're usually so boring - this is one story that won't disappoint. It's certainly complicated, but that's life in the real world, too - maybe not this complicated, but it does send a nice message. It isn't altogether realistic (a few coincidences too many) and the premise is convoluted, but as a fairy tale and a cute romance it works. Recommended for people who don't like romantic comedies but can't keep themselves from watching them (me!) as well as any fan of the genre.


Recommended: Yes