Eye Candy #96 - "Definitely, Maybe"

Definitely, Maybe: Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds), a father of young girl, is going through a divorce, and one night, his precocious daughter wants him to tell her how he ended up with her mother. So what he does is tell her a story involving three women, against the backdrop of the early 90’s, from the first Bill Clinton presidential campaign up through his impeachment. Will Hayes is a young campaign worker from Wisconsin that leaves behind his college sweetheart “Emily” (Elizabeth Banks) to help Bill get elected. While on the campaign, he meets “April” (Isla Fisher) and “Emily’s” old college roommate, writer “Summer” (Rachel Weisz, who has her best role in years here). He becomes romantically linked with all three women at one point or another in that eight year span (the film covers about 16 years total), as they fall in love, out of love, screw-up, foul-up, blow it, and just generally behave like people. Will changes from an idealistic college grad to a jaded, cynical burnout to a successful ad copy writer. He wanted to be a speech writer for Bill Clinton and ended up being the doughnut-getter-guy. As anyone can see from the movies I typically review, I don’t spend much time watching romances. It’s just not my thing. But I am a huge mark for Ryan Reynolds (“Van Wilder” will always hold a special place in my heart) and the previews looked interesting so away we went. Even put it at the bottom of the pile of stuff to watch, but it was easily the strongest movie of the bunch. Reynolds is great (and I’m glad he’s shedding the “he can only do comedy” roles he was saddled with for so long). Banks and Weisz are solid, along with Kevin Kline, Derek Luke, and Abigail Breslin. But Adams truly shines in the picture. Good stuff. Woodchuck sez, “Check it out.”