Review of About a Boy (2002) by Jameson W — 12 Apr 2012

Great film! Driven by great performances and a touching story, this dark comedy delivers an emotional dramatic punch that is impossible to not fall in love with. I love this film...it falls into that drama/comedy genre that I absolutely love (Garden State, Juno, Stranger Than Fiction).

The film follows an unemployed and selfish Will Freeman, played by Hugh Grant. Through a series of tragic life events, he comes in contact with a boy, Marcus, played Nicholas Hoult. From here, Will discovers that there is so much more to life than what he exposes himself to.

I'm not a big Hugh Grant fan; I've seen many of his films and liked many them, but there's always been something about him that annoys me. Here, he gives a fantastic performance. He plays a selfish, emotionless, introvert who, at times, I hated. He's such a jerk in the film, but all the while Grant shows the character's human side, too. Toni Collette also gives a great performance as Marcus' single, depressed mother. She has many emotional scenes and adds another dramatic level to the film. Nicholas Hoult, as Marcus, gives a convincing performance too. Although she only has a small role, the addition of Rachel Weisz to the supporting cast is very nice.

Overall, I find this film to be very, very strong. It's well acted, well written, touching, sad, funny, smart, different...it really has it all. I completely love this film! I recommend it to everyone.