I particularly enjoy the way Brooks is able to set up Will’s first meetings with these girls. He allows the relationships to grow over time rather than making them fall in love the second they lock eyes. Will meets them briefly for the first time with obvious charm and chemistry on both sides. Only through a second encounter does the affection come into fruition. The dialogue is tongue-in-cheek without feeling too cheeky, sexy enough without coming off oversexed, and stylized enough to admire the craft without seeming self-aware. Of course, the lines are nothing without delivery. Ryan Reynolds proves himself to be a brilliant comic performer and a strongly appealing leading man. His speech has a playful sarcasm that is easily identifiable and insistently likeable and his boyish look fits well with the film’s narrative structure.

All of these finely tuned minor sketches doodle a beautiful mess, coloring well outside the lines of generic formula, but one cannot watch Definitely, Maybe without noticing spots of lesser magic. The movie wanders a bit too much through its relationships, making for a slightly repetitive affair. Through a little restructuring, the film could easily lose the Elizabeth Banks role. While it serves an important role in the overall outcome of story, the many scenes dedicated to its development feel more paint-by-numbers than the rest of the film. The movie is also sometimes too conscious with its cuteness. Abigail Breslin is undeniably touching, but she is constantly used to remind us how precious she can be. After making a rousing joke about daddy being a boy slut early in the film, she later repeats the joke with gag-inducing conviction that feels awfully contrived: “I can't believe you drank, and smoked, and was such a slut. But I still love you.” The movie is smarter than this.

I am reluctant to point out all the minor imperfections of the movie (talking about a subplot about a lost book is far too painful), but they exist. The movie wears its heart on its sleeve, which ends up being its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. But Definitely, Maybe is far too beautiful and refreshing to push away. This is the kind of romantic comedy that works for everybody. Definitely. Not maybe.

Definitely, Maybe offers a nice package of bonus material. One featurette brings us behind the scenes with the production designer as she describes how the filmmakers were able to develop William’s character and progress him through the different eras of his life. The attention to detail is clear evidence of why the film works as well as ...