Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
When Will decides to tell his daughter the story of how he met her mother, he discovers that a second look at the past might also give him a second chance at the future.
Definitely, Maybe is a charming romantic comedy that earns modest praise for its clever structural conceit — framing the love story as a mystery for Will's daughter to solve adds a layer of engagement uncommon in the genre. The three female leads are well-drawn and Ryan Reynolds delivers a warmer performance than his usual sardonic persona. The political backdrop of the Clinton-era campaigns gives the film a distinctive texture rarely seen in rom-coms. However, cinematography is unremarkable and functional at best, and the ending, while satisfying, follows the genre's expected emotional beats without surprising. A solid, above-average entry in the genre that doesn't fully transcend its rom-com conventions.