 KSL Movie Show Review:...
DEFINITELY, MAYBE *** By Steve Salles Standard Examiner movie critic GO: if the wishy-washy title doesn’t scare you and you realize this is the only romantic comedy around. DON’T GO: if your idea of the perfect Valentine gift is new seat covers for the “old lady’s” Chevy. I always knew Ryan Reynolds had it in him. I guess I’ve been waiting for the right project for him to shine outside of those lame frat comedies like “Waiting” (gross) or “Van Wilder” (super gross) that he’s wallowed in more often than not. He now steps into the more sophisticated role of a NYC ad man, Will Hayes, with a precocious daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) who has just been through a sex education class at school. As a stunned Maya says as Dad comes to pick her up from school, “We have to talk.” Their frank discussion leads to some rather pointed questions as to how Will met Maya’s mother. At this point, we know nothing about her and Will decides to tell her the story but change the names to see if Maya can figure out which one of his previous relationships ends up being her mother. So he begins his story fifteen years earlier as this fresh faced Wisconsin kid right out of college decides to move to New York and work for the Bill Clinton for President campaign in 1992. He has left his girlfriend Emily (Elizabeth Banks) behind, but is determined to reconnect with her in a few months as part of his “life plan.” In the meantime, he’s relegated to the lowest rung of the responsibility ladder as coffee fetcher and toilet paper resupplier at Clinton headquarters, when he thought he’d be writing speeches and shmoozing with major campaign contributors. In his humble environs, he meets April (Isla Fisher) the copy girl who is just happy working but with no particular direction for her life. She’s intriguing to Will but her lack of focus and her contentment with her bohemian lifestyle pushes her more into the “good friend” category. It’s also around this time that he meets Summer Hartley (Rachel Weisz) - the exact opposite of April - extremely focused on her career in journalism but also enamored with an old professor/author played by the scene-stealing Kevin Kline. The weaving of these various relationships and stories keep you and Maya guessing throughout the film as to which one eventually ends up being Maya’s mother. And it’s done in a way that’s reminiscent of a young Fred Savage with Grandpa Peter Falk in the story of “The Princess Bride” as the young listener cuts in from time to time. The film also uses the Clinton campaign as background and more pointedly to take a few political shots at both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, but the heart of the tale remains romantic in nature and wraps up better than I had expected it would. It was probably a little longer than I was hoping for as the shell game of “who’s your mommy?” went on forever, but ultimately it ends all warm and fuzzy - which is why we’re seeing it now on Valentine’s Day. And frankly - you could do worse - if you’ve forgotten those flowers and chocolates. Pretend like this was your plan all along, take her to see this and all will be forgiven (unless you bought her a new vacuum instead - then you’re still toast).
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Steve