Definitely, Maybe

Last updated

Definitely, Maybe
Definitely Maybe poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Adam Brooks
Written byAdam Brooks
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Florian Ballhaus
Edited by Peter Teschner
Music by Clint Mansell
Production
companies
Distributed by Universal Pictures (international)
Mars Distribution (France) [1]
Release date
  • February 14, 2008 (2008-02-14)
Running time
111 minutes [2]
Countries
  • Germany [3]
  • United Kingdom [3]
  • United States [3]
  • France [3]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$24 million [4]
Box office$55.6 million [5]

Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film written and directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin, and Kevin Kline. Set in New York City, the film is about a former political consultant who tries to help his daughter understand his impending divorce by telling her the story of his past romantic relationships and how he ended up marrying her mother. The film grossed $55 million worldwide.

Contents

Plot

Will Hayes works at an advertising agency in New York City and is in the midst of a divorce from wife Sarah. After her first sex education class, his 10-year-old daughter Maya insists on hearing the story of how her parents met. Will gives in, but changes the names and some of the facts, leaving Maya to guess which of the women from his past is Sarah, her mother.

In 1992, Will graduates from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and leaves behind his college sweetheart, "Emily Jones", to work on the Bill Clinton campaign in New York City. There, he meets "April Hoffman", a fellow campaign staffer, and delivers a package from Emily to her college friend, "Summer Hartley". The package is revealed to be Summer's diary, which Will reads, learning she had a brief affair with Emily. Summer is dating her professor, Hampton Roth, but spontaneously kisses Will.

He tells April his plan to propose to Emily, and rehearses his proposal; April replies, “Definitely, maybe.” They go to her apartment where Will notices her many copies of Jane Eyre . She explains that her father gave her a copy with a personal inscription shortly before he died, but the book was later lost. She has spent years searching secondhand bookstores to find it and collects any copy with an inscription. April and Will kiss, but he abruptly leaves. The following day, Emily arrives but when Will tries to propose, she confesses that she slept with his roommate, and urges him to move on and pursue his ambitions.

After Clinton is elected, Will opens a political consulting firm with his friend and former co-worker Russell, and stays in close touch with April as she travels the world. He encounters Summer, now a journalist and single, and they begin a relationship. April returns from abroad, planning to tell Will that she loves him, but discovers he is planning to propose to Summer. Will learns that Summer has written an article that will ruin his candidate's campaign. He asks her not to publish it, but she already has and Will ends their relationship. The article derails the campaign, losing Will his political career and friends.

Years later, April reaches out to Will, who has fallen into depression. She throws Will a birthday party, reuniting him with his old colleagues, but he quietly leaves the party early. Will then drunkenly confesses to April that he loves her, leading to an argument about the state of their lives. Passing a bookstore, he finds the inscribed copy of Jane Eyre that April's father gave her. He goes to April's apartment to give her the book but decides against it when he meets her boyfriend Kevin, who is living with her and April heads back to graduate school. Will runs into Summer, who tells him she's pregnant and invites him to a party where he reunites with Emily, who has recently moved to New York City.

In the present, Maya deduces that "Emily" is her mother. Maya hopes her parents will reunite, but Will assures Maya that she is the story's happy ending, before finalizing his divorce.

Unpacking in his new apartment, Will discovers April's book. He brings it to her, apologizing for waiting so long, but she asks him to leave. At Maya's urging, Will realizes he is miserable without April, whose name he didn't change in the story like he did to "Emily"/Sarah and "Summer", whose real name is Natasha. Will and Maya go to April's apartment, and he tries to explain his reasoning to her, but she does not let them inside. Waiting in front of the door, Maya encourages Will to tell April the story, while April overhears the conversation through the intercom. As Will and Maya walk away, April runs after them. Will explains that he kept the book as it was the only thing he had left of her. April invites them in to tell her the story, and she and Will kiss.

Cast

Music

The film was scored by English composer Clint Mansell. Lakeshore Records released the score on March 18, 2008. All Music Guide reviewer William Ruhlmann praised the album as filled with "sweet, melodic numbers that often seem to lack only a lyric to turn them into pop songs". He also stated that it functioned as "light accompaniment to an equally light entertainment". [6]

A song from Nirvana, "Come as You Are", was featured during several scenes in the movie, as well as "Nothing Lasts Forever" by Maroon 5.

Release

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $9.8 million from 2,204 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #5 at the box office. [7] It went on to gross $56 million worldwide. [1]

The film was released on DVD June 24, 2008, with a widescreen transfer, deleted scenes, two short featurettes, and a commentary track by Reynolds and director Brooks.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 71% based on reviews from 148 critics, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's consensus reads: "With a clever script and charismatic leads, Definitely, Maybe is a refreshing entry into the romantic comedy genre." [8] On Metacritic the film has an average score of 59 out of 100 based on 33 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [9] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. [10]

Dennis Harvey of Variety called it "A pleasingly non-formulaic romantic seriocomedy, Definitely, Maybe has charm and some depth, even if it’s ultimately more a third-base hit than a home run." [11] A.O. Scott of The New York Times called it "A nimble and winning little romance". [12] Claudia Puig of USA Today gave it a positive review and wrote: "It's generally enjoyable, amusing and more sophisticated than most films in this genre." [13]

Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter gave a more mixed review but praised the cast: "The film is far from a complete washout, and this is chiefly a tribute to its immensely attractive and appealing cast. Ryan Reynolds proves to have the stuff of a true leading man." [14]

Caroline Siede of The A.V. Club reviewed the film in 2021 and called it "underrated". [15] She noted it as a turning point in the career of Ryan Reynolds as he "traded snark for sincerity." [15] Siede said the plot was "essentially How I Met Your Mother with a dash of High Fidelity" but praised the film for "breath[ing] new life into old formulas without throwing the rest of the genre under the bus." [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>When Harry Met Sally...</i> 1989 film by Rob Reiner

When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron. Starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, and Bruno Kirby, it follows the title characters from the time they meet in Chicago and share a drive to New York City through twelve years of chance encounters in New York, and addresses the question "Can men and women ever just be friends?"

<i>Ghost</i> (1990 film) Film by Jerry Zucker

Ghost is a 1990 American supernatural romance film directed by Jerry Zucker from a screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin, and starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn, Vincent Schiavelli, and Rick Aviles. It focuses on Sam Wheat (Swayze), a murdered banker, whose ghost sets out to save his girlfriend, Molly Jensen (Moore), from the person who killed him – through the help of the psychic Oda Mae Brown (Goldberg).

<i>As Good as It Gets</i> 1997 film by James L. Brooks

As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Andrus. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist.

<i>Pretty Woman</i> 1990 film by Garry Marshall

Pretty Woman is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall, from a screenplay by J. F. Lawton. The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and features Héctor Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, Laura San Giacomo, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. The film's story centers on Hollywood escort Vivian Ward and wealthy businessman Edward Lewis. Vivian is hired to be Edward's escort for several business and social functions, and their relationship develops during her week-long stay with him. The film's title Pretty Woman is based on the 1964 song "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison. The original screenplay was titled “3,000,” and was written by then-struggling screenwriter J. F. Lawton.

<i>Sleepless in Seattle</i> 1993 film by Nora Ephron

Sleepless in Seattle is a 1993 American romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron, from a screenplay she wrote with David S. Ward and Jeff Arch. Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the film follows a journalist (Ryan) who becomes enamored with a widowed architect (Hanks), when the latter's son calls in to a talk radio program requesting a new partner for his grieving father. In addition to Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, and Rob Reiner, the film features Rosie O'Donnell, Gaby Hoffmann, Victor Garber, Rita Wilson, Barbara Garrick, and Carey Lowell.

<i>Starting Over</i> (1979 film) 1979 film by Alan J. Pakula

Starting Over is a 1979 American comedy-drama film based on Dan Wakefield's 1973 novel, written and produced by James L. Brooks, and directed by Alan J. Pakula. Starring Burt Reynolds, Jill Clayburgh, and Candice Bergen, it follows a recently divorced man who is torn between his new girlfriend and his ex-wife.

<i>The Object of My Affection</i> 1998 American film

The Object of My Affection is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. The film was adapted from novel of the same name by Stephen McCauley and the screenplay was written by Wendy Wasserstein. The story is centered around a pregnant New York social worker who develops romantic feelings for her gay new friend and decides to raise her child with him, and the complications that ensue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isla Fisher</span> Australian actress (born 1976)

Isla Lang Fisher is an Australian actress. Born in Oman to Scottish parents who moved with her to Australia during her childhood, she began appearing in television commercials and came to prominence for her portrayal of Shannon Reed on the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1994–1997), for which she received two Logie Award nominations.

<i>Summer Catch</i> 2001 film by Michael Tollin

Summer Catch is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Tollin and starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel and Matthew Lillard. The film marked Tollin's feature film directorial debut. The setting is the Cape Cod Baseball League, but the majority of the film was shot in Southport, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abigail Breslin</span> American actress (born 1996)

Abigail Breslin is an American actress. Following a string of film parts as a young child, she rose to prominence at age 10 when she played Olive Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Breslin went on to establish herself as a mainstream actress with roles in films such as No Reservations (2007), Nim's Island, Definitely, Maybe, My Sister's Keeper, Zombieland, Rango (2011), The Call, August: Osage County, Maggie (2015), and Stillwater (2021). Her other projects include the Fox series Scream Queens (2015–2016), where she portrayed Libby Putney, her first regular role on television.

<i>Adventureland</i> (film) 2009 American film

Adventureland is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Greg Mottola. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Martin Starr, and Margarita Levieva. In the film, recent college graduate James Brennan (Eisenberg) takes a job at a run-down local amusement park to save for a trip to Europe.

<i>Made of Honor</i> 2008 American romantic comedy film

Made of Honor is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Weiland and written by Adam Sztykiel, Deborah Kaplan, and Harry Elfont. The film stars Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, and Sydney Pollack, in his final screen appearance prior to his death less than a month after the film's release.

<i>Nims Island</i> 2008 film by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin

Nim's Island is a 2008 adventure film written and directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin, and based on the children's story of the same name by Wendy Orr. In the film, a young girl alone on a remote island seeks help from an agoraphobic San Franciscan author. While the author attempts to overcome her agoraphobia to search for her, Nim tries to overcome her fear of losing her father. It stars Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler, and was released on 4 April 2008 by 20th Century Fox under the "Fox-Walden" joint-venture. The film received mixed reviews from critics and earned $100.1 million on a $37 million budget.

<i>The Proposal</i> (2009 film) 2009 film by Anne Fletcher

The Proposal is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Peter Chiarelli. It is produced by Kurtzman/Orci Productions, Mandeville Films and Touchstone Pictures for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds with Malin Åkerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen and Betty White in supporting roles. The plot centers on a Canadian executive who learns that she may face deportation from the U.S. because her visa renewal application was denied. Determined to retain her position as editor-in-chief of a publishing house, she convinces her long-suffering personal assistant to temporarily act as her fiancé.

<i>The Notebook</i> 2004 American romantic drama film by Nick Cassavetes

The Notebook is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s. Their story is read from a notebook in the present day by an elderly man, telling the tale to a fellow nursing home resident.

<i>The Raven</i> (2012 film) 2012 film by James McTeigue

The Raven is a 2012 American crime thriller film directed by James McTeigue, produced by Marc D. Evans, Trevor Macy and Aaron Ryder and written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare. Set in 1849, it is a fictionalized account detailing the last days of Edgar Allan Poe's life, in which the poet and author helps the police pursue a serial killer, whose murders mirror those in his stories. While the plot of the film is fictional, the writers based it on some accounts of real situations surrounding Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death. Poe is said to have repeatedly called out the name "Reynolds" on the night before his death, though it is unclear to whom he was referring. The film stars John Cusack, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson and Luke Evans. Its title derives from Poe's 1845 poem "The Raven", in a similar manner to the earlier unrelated 1935 and 1963 films.

<i>The Voices</i> 2014 comedy horror film

The Voices is a 2014 psychological horror comedy film directed by Marjane Satrapi, written by Michael R. Perry, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver. It had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2014. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on February 6, 2015, by Lionsgate. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting Reynolds’ performance.

<i>The Captive</i> (2014 film) 2014 Canadian thriller film by Atom Egoyan

The Captive is a 2014 Canadian thriller film directed by Atom Egoyan with a script he co-wrote with David Fraser. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Bruce Greenwood, Scott Speedman, Rosario Dawson, Mireille Enos, Kevin Durand, and Alexia Fast. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. The film was released in select theaters and on-demand on December 12, 2014.

<i>Stillwater</i> (film) Template for Amanda Knox

Stillwater is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy, based on a script he co-wrote with Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré. It is the first DreamWorks Pictures film to be distributed by Focus Features. It stars Matt Damon as Bill Baker, an unemployed oil-rig worker from Oklahoma who sets out with a Frenchwoman to prove his convicted daughter's innocence.

<i>IF</i> (film) 2024 film by John Krasinski

IF is a 2024 American fantasy comedy drama film written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, and Liza Colón-Zayas, along with the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Steve Carell. Combining live-action and animation, the film follows a young girl (Fleming) who goes through a difficult experience and begins to see everyone's imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-life children have grown up.

References

  1. 1 2 "Definitely, Maybe (2008)". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on April 3, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe (12)". British Board of Film Classification . January 7, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Definitely, Maybe (2008)". British Film Institute . Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  4. ↑ Goodman, Dean (February 17, 2008). "Jumper leaps to top of North American box office". Reuters. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe". The Numbers. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Clint Mansell Definitely, Maybe [Original Score]". AllMusic . Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe (2008) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved February 27, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe (2008): Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Find CinemaScore" (Type "Definitely, Maybe" in the search box). CinemaScore . Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  11. ↑ Harvey, Dennis (January 25, 2008). "Definitely, Maybe". Variety.
  12. ↑ Scott, A. O. (February 14, 2008). "How I Met Your Mother: A History Lesson in Love". The New York Times .
  13. ↑ Puig, Claudia (February 13, 2008). "Breslin's charmer is 'Definitely' cute, certainly not real". USA Today . Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  14. ↑ Farber, Stephen (February 10, 2008). "Definitely, Maybe". The Hollywood Reporter .
  15. 1 2 3 Siede, Caroline (August 15, 2021). "Ryan Reynolds traded snark for sincerity in the underrated Definitely, Maybe". The A.V. Club .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.