Definitely, Maybe

A likeable, smart romantic comedy with a rather uncharismatic Ryan Reynolds playing Will, an ad exec who has just received divorce papers from his wife. Prompted by the imminent separation of her parents, daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin, irritating beyond belief) asks to know how they first met and fell in love, hoping for a reconciliation. Will agrees, but on the condition that Maya has to guess which of the three women Will has loved, ended up becoming his wife (he's changed their names). The choices are college sweetheart Emily (Elizabeth Banks), intelligent sophisticate Summer (Rachel Weisz) or fiery free spirit April (Isla Fisher)?

Will's story begins in the early 90s as he works on the Clinton campaign and the passing of time is marked by obvious political signifiers rather than the fashion or the music. The first third of the film is the least successful. Elizabeth Banks is stuck in the same cute-but-dull role that she's mined to better effect elsewhere. Definitely, Maybe is much more interesting when we're in the company of Summer and April. Rachel Weisz manages to make a potentially irritating character sympathetic and believable. Meanwhile, Isla Fisher demonstrates that she's the most gifted comic actress this side of Anna Faris with a totally lovable, sparkly performance that's equal amounts flinty wit and vulnerability.

It's obvious from a fairly early stage who Will truly loves out of the three women, but the script has some fun with themes of storytelling, pointing out Will's ability to write and rewrite his own destiny. Or perhaps that's reading too much into a film that is, ultimately, just some good-natured fun.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic

Based on a book by Sophie Kinsella and relocated to New York, Confessions Of A Shopaholic is much more satisfying and funny than it has any right to be. Nearly all of this is down to Isla Fisher, whose perky, adorable performance gives the so-so script a spark that few actresses outside of Anna Faris could have managed. Fisher plays Rebecca, a self-confessed shopaholic whose love of Louis Vuitton and Prada have helped her mount up a rather tremendous amount of debt, a debt she's unable to pay off given that she's just lost her job. Luckily, she finds a new job at Successful Savings magazine (irony alert!) under the tutelage of dreamy-but-penside Luke (Hugh Dancy, rather damp). Rebecca puts financial problems into language that people can understand, namely shoes and handbags apparently, and successfully manages to fib her way not only into the boss' affections but also to catch the eye of Alette Naylor (Kristen Scott Thomas), editor-in-chief of a top fashion magazine.

Even for a frothy romantic comedy, this spends far more time on its protagonist's not-wholly-honest rise to the top than it ever does on the inevitable downspiral and life lessons learned, which works much more in its favour than you might expect. Although there are several questionable elements to the story (would Luke really be duped by Rebecca, for instance?), the amount you're prepared to forgive if there's a good central performance is considerable. After scene-stealing roles in Definitely, Maybe and Wedding Crashers, Isla Fisher seizes her first lead role with both hands, not letting go for a second. The pratfalls and humorous misunderstandings that make up 90% of the film would've felt lame and clichéd in other hands, but they are handled so endearingly here that it's difficult not to be swept away in it all.