Abigail Breslin may have gotten an Oscar nom for Little Miss Sunshine (2006), but that didnt save her from being cast in the most cloying child role in ages in Definitely, Maybe. As the daughter of political consultant Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds), she just wants to know the truth of how Dad met Mom.
Poor Breslin is stuck with precocious, wise-cracking dialogue as she casts an adults level of judgment on Wills love life. Mom could be one of three former love interests (Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher or Rachel Weisz) from back in the 1990s. None of these characters seem distinct from one another. Supposedly, Will is molded by each of the women, but in turn they seem detached from him. Similarly, Will once worked on Bill Clintons presidential campaign, but the film lacks a political stance. Writer/director Adam Brookss recreation of the 90s consists mainly of Nirvana references—because apparently nothing else went on in pop culture that decade. This is the phoniest screen romance since Love, Actually.
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2008.
