Definitely, Maybe (12a)

Feb 8 2008 By Graham Young

HERE'S the romantic comedy of the year... well, at least until 27 Dresses (March 14) and Priceless (March 28) open.

Smokin' Aces' star Ryan Reynolds has to explain himself to daughter Maya, knowingly played by Little Miss Sunshine's Oscar nominee, Abigail Breslin.

Thirtysomething advertising executive Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the middle of a divorce.

But, in search of a happy ending, the determined ten-year-old Maya (who's regrettably not afraid to use some adult terms) asks him to divulge his romantic adventures from the very beginning in 1992.

Just how did her parents fall in love? And, against the odds, can she rekindle the flame?

With Breslin as his anchor, Reynolds does everything that's asked of him in order to explore three different relationships down the years. And with co-stars including Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks and Rachel Weisz, there's no shortage of support.

Produced by Britain's own Working Title, Definitely, Maybe earns bonus points having been shot entirely on location in New York City.

Its contrived structure gets in the way of proceedings once too often and writer-director Adam Brooks' 111-minute running time is over-long by a good quarter of an hour.

But its heart will definitely carry you beyond St Valentine's Day. Well, maybe.