This slick romantic comedy has several things going for it, including an interesting premise and an attractive cast. Getting all its elements to cohere, however, is too often just beyond its grasp.
Comment
02/14/08
Rate this Movie 
Definitely, Maybe (2008)
72
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:138
Fresh:99
Rotten:39
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: With a clever script and charismatic leads, Definitely, Maybe is a refreshing entry into the romantic comedy genre.
Theatrical Release:2008
Box Office: $31,973,840
Synopsis: Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes... [More]
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin
Director: Adam Brooks
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for Definitely, Maybe
Top CriticDefinitely, Maybe has a certain bland appeal, provided you don’t mind that there isn’t one detail in the movie that has a faint ring of truth.
02/14/08
The biggest problem with Definitely, Maybe is that leading man Reynolds feels strangely out of water in a role that never lets him unleash his comedy chops.
02/14/08
A mildly entertaining rom-com with obvious flaws, with nowhere near the out-of-the-candy-box approach to romance it purports to have.
02/14/08
The creative team here has ties to that Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones crowd, which may explain why so many of Ryan Reynolds's lines sound as if they might have been better delivered by a young Hugh Grant.
02/14/08
Definitely is definitely not the best rom-com ever, though maybe one of the better ones Hollywood churns out this year.
02/14/08
The big news here is the intelligence, the balance, the real romance in Definitely, Maybe. No, it doesn't follow the formula. And really, how cool is that?
02/14/08
The film definitely satisfies the need for an unthreatening, competently made romcom with a traditional template. But maybe that's not enough if you want to be surprised, refreshed or anything other than lazily charmed.
02/14/08
It won't be on anybody's 10-best list at the end of the year. But it's agreeable and engaging and real enough in the right smallish ways, and it has an emotional maturity at odds with the high-grade plastic from which it's constructed.
02/14/08
When you’re maybe just about ready to fully endorse the film, it gives in to some generic romantic-comedy frippery that punctures a hole in its own believability.
02/14/08
Definitely, Maybe adds some welcome spice to a genre that rarely ventures beyond the predictable anymore.
02/14/08
An often-fun, above-average romantic comedy with a unique twist.
02/14/08
Definitely, Maybe is certainly the most ambitious, and satisfying, rom-com in recent memory. That's faint praise given the recent run of romantic fare.
02/14/08
Reynolds has consistently ranked among the top unsung comedic actors of his era.
02/14/08
It's a delightful movie with great writing and a splendid cast.
02/14/08
May turn out to be the sleeper film of the year, in the tradition of past cinematic surprises, like 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', 'Sideways' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'.
02/14/08
...one of ickiest framing devices in recent memory.
02/14/08
I let my guard down and was completely surprised by the sweet, happy finale, which Brooks and his cast definitely earn.
02/14/08
It feels overworked at times, a gimmick saved largely by chemistry. But it's also sweet and sour in the best ways...
02/14/08
Definitely, Maybe is what happens when someone decides to make a romantic comedy, then sits down and thinks about it for a while before setting out to write.
02/13/08
Latest News for Definitely, Maybe
August 15, 2008:
SpanishTeaching.co.uk: A bittersweet bedtime story about at least three babes who broke a guy's heart during his hard knocks, early adult years, in addition to, well, Bill Clinton. 
More...
June 23, 2008:
RT on DVD: A Killer Sopranos Set; WALL-E Gets a Friend
You thought the Sex and the City DVD collection was expensive? Start saving up for the ultimate Sopranos box set, coming this fall. Also look for a DVD spin-off from last... More...
June 18, 2008:
A bittersweet bedtime story about at least three babes who broke a guy's heart during his hard knocks, early adult years, in addition to, well, Bill Clinton.
More...
March 06, 2008:
Joan Cusack, John Goodman to Hear Isla Fisher's Confessions
It hasn't even been a month since Isla Fisher dazzled Ryan Reynolds in the Valentine's dramedy Definitely, Maybe, but she's already at work on her next film -- and she's got... More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
MSN's Year in Review
Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.
Moviefone's Year End Movie Poll
What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!
Tarantino's Characters
Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.
Top 10 Movies of 2009
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Top 20 of the Decade
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
IGN RSS Feeds