Definitely, Maybe -review-
Ryan Reynolds plays a man named Will Hayes who is needing to deal with trying to bring understanding of relationships to his young daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) after a sexual education class at school brings up questions about why he & her mom are not in love anymore. Instead of just leaving the daughter with a simple answer to appease her curiosity he spends the time to tell her the intricacy of his relationships with several women including her mother, without ever letting her know which one was “the one”.
The movie’s story is told in a manner reminiscent of The Princess Bride, flipping from the past to the story telling at a child’s bedside with insightful comments by Maya. Just like the daughter being kept in the dark as to which women is “the one”, by change of names, so is the audience. Each women is likable and a perfect fit to the point that you at one point or another you hope that Will ends up with her. Each relationship puts smiles on your face as you watch them learn about each other as does the interaction of father & daughter. Favorite moments also come about when Will slips in his story telling and mentions his bad habits that every parent hopes that they can hide from their kids.
Leave the figuring out which women is “the one” to Maya, you will find yourself smiling all the way to the end.
