About a Boy (2002)

Just OK, pretty overrated

I enjoy watching Hugh Grant in films. He's made romantic comedies worth a man's time, playing the perfectly hilarious, irreverent counterpart to some insanely hot mamas (Rachel Weisz, in this instance). But this material is hardly shocking or revolutionary, or even new. This is actually a bit more daft and conventional than any other of Hugh's films--Notting Hill and Love Actually are definitely more complex and satisfying, although many parts of About a Boy are plenty funny. But let's face it, this notion that being a parent or otherwise hanging out with unstable strangers is where it's at is just dead wrong, and we all know it. To have a child in the modern age is the apex of selfishness, and I really don't know more bewildered, desperate, and troubled persons than your average modern parent, whether married or not. That's because we are all off the farm now and have to work for wages like slaves. Our children too, before they're even out of school, if they don't otherwise succumb to drugs, violence, or suicide. Almost everybody lives from paycheck to paycheck in various states of fear, while the rich almost universally choose to have very few or no children, and for good reason: it's a major source of unhappiness. Not that kids are necessarily bad, mind you, just that at some point people face the existential understanding that little to nothing in life will provide lasting satisfaction or happiness anyway. Maybe their spouse or partner, but probably not their job or their kids. Religion, technology, the arts, food, or outright denial provide relief to some, but ultimately the human race has about as much soul as your average insect colony. If Hugh's 'boyish' character had been unflinchingly unapologetic, or if the mad hippie had actually offed herself, there might have been some edge to this. But ultimately it's novel-based and just a movie, About a Paycheck, and about as realistic as a gift catalog. So while it rings false, it's certainly not lacking in entertainment value--I still enjoyed it with just a couple of ecchs and a few oh brothers. January 1, 2009

Excellent!

One of my all time favorite movies. I purchased this copy for my boss.

Sweet, funny and smart.

Highly recommend it December 1, 2008

Superb Film With No Downfalls

I simply can't express what a total treat this film is. Hugh Grant puts on his finest performance (next to Edward Farrars in Sense and Sensibility) and the writing and direction are absolutely perfect. This film has it all, humor, message, quirkiness, drama... You can't go wrong with a viewing of this excellent work of art. November 17, 2008

"About a Boy" Review

The concept is simple. An avaricious male pretends that he has a son in order to meet women and yet ends up becoming a parental figure for a young boy. Although this is "About a Boy" in a nutshell, the Weitz brothers' motion picture deals with the sobering topics of suicide and single parenting while infusing comedy to highlight the importance of relationships. This Oscar nominated film is a piece of entertainment that provides an interesting perspective on the realities of life.

Hugh Grant stars as the shallow Will Lightman in the film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy. An aging London bachelor, Will prides himself on being free of all commitments and believes that all men are islands. Never having worked a day in his life, Will lives comfortably off the royalties of his father's one hit wonder, "Santa's Super Sleigh." Self-indulgences like playing pool, watching television, and taking a bath fill up the units of his day. Newcomer Nicholas Hoult delivers a breakout performance as the 12-year-old outsider Marcus who is frequently bullied and does not have any true friends. Marcus is willing to do anything to make his depression prone mother Fiona smile; even commit social suicide. Wearing mustard-colored corduroy pants and a rainbow sweater, Marcus sings "Killing Me Softly," Fiona's favorite song, during a school talent show. Engrossed in her own problems, Fiona is clueless about her only son's misery.

The plot is set in motion when Will creates a fictional son named Ned in order to attend SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together) meetings and meet women. The SPAT mothers are the epitome of what Will has been searching for- thirsty for passion, but unready to commit to a relationship again. While dating one of the members, Will meets Marcus at a SPAT picnic. Upon arrival home, Marcus finds Fiona unconscious on the floor after a suicide attempt. She is revived and returns to normal life, but Marcus is never certain that she will still be there by the end of the day. Convinced by Fiona's instability that he needs another parental figure, Marcus sets his mother and Will up on a date, which fails miserably. Despite this, Marcus follows Will and manipulates the bachelor into spending time with him by threatening to expose the secret of Will's invention of Ned. Convinced that caring for another person is the last thing that he wants to do, Will realizes, over the course of the film, that Marcus is the only facet in his life of true value.

American brothers Chris and Paul Weitz managed to produce a heartfelt creation in the course of their third directorial venture. Before "About a Boy," the Weitz brothers had only previously directed the poorly reviewed "American Pie" and "Down to Earth." The brothers decided to experiment with the camera to incorporate more artistic shots than they had in their previous spineless works. As Marcus walks towards the camera during one of the scenes, the air is thick and distorted much like the air above a fire. The effect was accomplished by placing a burner underneath the lens and results in making this child appear threatening. Another interesting shot is when Will is shown walking in the opposite direction of everyone else like a fish swimming upstream. His avoidance of all responsibility and rejection of forming relationships makes him unlike the rest of humanity. The use of different color palettes helps the audience to better understand the characters. Will is associated with cool colors like blue and gray. His apartment is sleek and modern but also comes across as being unfriendly and absent of life because it is comprised of these muted tones. Marcus' house incorporates vibrant shades of color giving it a more cluttered and bohemian feel. Filled with material items, Will's flat reflects his shallowness. By the end of the film, the focus shifts from these objects to the people he has formed relationships with as they all gather in his home for Christmas. Novice directors Paul and Chris Weitz managed to fashion Hornby's novel into a genuinely meaningful and heartfelt film.

At the directors' request, Damon Gough, who is better known as the mastermind behind Badly Drawn Boy, agreed to score "About a Boy." Scoring this film was an interesting career move for Gough because he had just previously won the United Kingdom's coveted Mercury Prize for his first full-length album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast. The majority of recording artists generally record a follow-up album after their debut, but Damon Gough went in a completely different direction and tried his hands at scoring by writing original music for the Weitz brothers' film instead. Best described as folk-rock music, Badly Drawn Boy's melodic soundtrack harmonizes perfectly with the motion picture. "A Minor Incident" is heard when Marcus returns from the hospital and finds Fiona's suicide note addressed to him. This is the most moving and harrowing song in the movie because the lyrics function as the letter being read aloud. Damon Gough's music compliments the emotions of the scenes while still managing to stand on its own as a beautiful work of art.

I would highly recommend this film to anyone. Hugh Grant strays from his quintessential role as the charming love interest and is portrayed as a greedy and withdrawn jerk in this movie. His character does not have any relationships because he believes that if people can make you feel better, then they can also hurt you. Marcus shows Will that the risk is worth taking because human connections are what make life worth living. By the end of the film, Will has finally matured emotionally and realizes the eternal truth that no man is an island. A great movie with a positive message, "About a Boy" reminds us that authentic affluence is found in relationships. November 11, 2008

Quirky and stylish.

A film that moves briskly, but carries the viewer along nicely. It is entertaining and features a realistic portrayal of characters struggling with lives that are slightly derailed. The film--similar to the film Passion Fish--avoids becoming maudlin or manipulative and manages to surprise the viewer once or twice.

Highly recommended. October 14, 2008

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