Rating: 
Summary: Hornby's best book as a movie
Review: In yet another year where comedies have been painfully dominated by the sort of sophomoric gross-out humor revitalized by "American Pie," "About a Boy" was a real standout. (Ironically, it's directed by the Weitz brothers, who also directed "American Pie." Go figure.) Based on the novel by Nick Hornby ("High Fidelity"), Hugh Grant ("Four Weddings and a Funeral") plays a confirmed bachelor with no real human connections, no job, and no need for one (he's independently wealthy, and it's a humorous twist when you find out why). His world changes when he meets a single mother (Toni Collette, "The Sixth Sense") and her young son (standout newcomer Nicholas Hoult) that start to put a little perspective to his world.In any other writer's hands this would have turned into a sappy romance between Grant and Collette, but that never happens here. The movie is, instead, about Grant and Hoult and how their unlikely friendship shapes them both. Plus it's just really funny, and never what you'd expect.
Rating:
Summary: Hugh Grant's Best Role; Award Winning Acting Job
Review: If it were easy to win the Oscar with a comedic role, the next one might well be Hugh Grant's for his performance in "About A Boy." Actually, it is both a comedic and dramatic role so it gives us the full range of his talent, which is much more considerable that I initially thought it was. I first saw him in the drama "Maurice" and I thought he was good but little did I foresee that some day people would be calling him a comic genius. I've seen 3 films now based on Nick Hornby's novels, with Grant, Colin Firth and John Cusack as the leads in each film. Grant and his directors, the Weitz brothers, are the ones who do Hornby best. I also must give Grant credit for taking roles lately that play against his charming, bumbling Englishman routine, which he did to perfection in "Notting Hill" and other films. Most actors don't take risks with that kind of success but he has. I believe it started when he took the part of an English cad to Traci Ullman in a Woody Allen movie and then went on to play a super but adorable rat in "Bridget Jones." The film itself contains an inventive plot. Grant plays a man who has had to do nothing his entire life but lay around and chase women because he inherited money from his father's one tune mega hit. He finds that single women with children are easier prey than their childless counterpart. This leads to his using a boy he meets as a pretend son to help him score with women. The boy has his own problems, with a suicidal mother and not fitting in at school. The film turns on what occurs between these two characters and the other characters who intersect with them. It is rare to find an actor who can do comedy, drama and romance who is also great looking but Grant is indeed that actor. I thought the boy actor was also very good.
Rating:
Summary: Hugh's Best Movie
Review: "About a Boy" is the best movie I have seen Hugh Grant in. He plays a single man whose seen his friends get married and have children. He tries to find a way to meet women by going to a group for single mothers. He pretends to be a single father to win their affection. Which he does. However, he comes across an awkward boy. The boy is out of place and out of touch because his mother is out of place and out of touch. He befriends the child who is a target for bullies showing him that it's okay to be cool and good.
The boy who doesn't seem to fit in with anyone, meets a punk rock girl that he fancies. She at first, doesn't care for him but grows to like him. Both man and boy learn that no one person is an island. People need people.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Just About a Boy
Review: After the sucessful "High Fidelity", another Nick Hornby novel was adapted to the big screen. This time the Weitz Bros (of "American Pie" fame) are the chosen directors, and they manage to deliver an entertaining, honest and meaningful comedy that`s above many laugh-a-minute flicks out there.
Like most Nick Hornby`s oeuvres, "About a Boy" presents a funny, intelligent story that deals with the subject of isolation, loneliness, personal growth and contact with those who surround us, approaching this themes in a simple, natural and engaging way.
Will (played by a convincing Hugh Grant) is the typical late twenties slacker who lives in his own world and doesn`t bother much with what goes on beyond his reduced circle, living a shallow, selfish and uninteresting everyday routine. Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) is a smart though lonely kid that has no friends or motivations, and whose only companion is his single, neurotic and depressed mother (Toni Collette). As the movie develops, Will and Marcus become friends and forge a personal bond, providing some hilarious, clever moments and a couple of touching ones, too.
This, like "High Fidelity", is a guy flick, since men are the ones who can find some situations here more relatable, though it still is a worthwile movie for everyone anyway. Personally, I could identify with both Marcus and Will, discovering parallels between my life and theirs.
Despite its somewhat predictable plot, "About a Boy" is nonetheless a witty, poignant picture, with an intriguing storytelling and a couple of well-observed details about mundane life (Will`s cynical description of time passing through). And it even has an interesting and appealing soundtrack by offbeat indie star Badly Drawn Boy.
Worth a look.
Rating: 
Summary: whatch this movie
Review: "About a boy" is the latest adaption of one of Nick Hornby's novels. Hugh Grant plays the lead character called Will, a 36-years-old man who has never worked a solid day's work in his life, living instead on the royalties from a sappy Christmas carol written by his dad many years ago.
His days consist of units of time - watching TV, taking a bath etc. making a very full day and with absolutely no possibility of fitting work in there at all. He is happy, or so he has convinced himself, but his married friends worry about his lack of responsibility and his failure to appreciate just how wonderful life with a screaming two year old, 40 hours and more a week of working, mother-in-laws, no guilt-free casual sex and suchlike really is... A blind date set up by a meddling friend lands Will in a relationship with a single mum - but it changes his life.
No, he does not suddenly get broody, find kids a joy etc. but it does start off a chain of events wich will change his life. Furthermore the story tells, in which clever way Will tries to meet more single mums and it is described the development of the relationship between a 12-years-old outsider called Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and Will. The camera effects are often rather bizarre. Some of them do enhance the scene, but others just seem plain irritating. Several are quite dizzying and the use of the "paused" still annoyed me somewhat.
The movie warrants its 12 certificate, as there are lots of swear words in it and one rather disturbing scene.
Overall, "About a boy" plays with your emotions. You will laugh a lot then be left gawping for a while, before the pace changes and you are back piggling. Finally I can say: watch this movie
Rating:
Summary: Great movie
Review: Somehow Hugh Grant and the film-makers turned this extremely shallow and emotionally clueless person into someone I really cared about. The young man, the Marcus character, was so sad and funny. He reminded me a little too much of grade school (shudder). Toni Collette as the mum was both pitiful and hopeful, all at once. If you want to watch a movie about how people really can change for the better sometimes, here it is. There is romance, and there is comedy, but I think this movie kind of rises above those (rather played-out) genres. I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: BEST MOVIE OF 2002!!!!
Review: This movie is by far my favorite of 2002!
Hugh Grant plays the funniest character of his career!
And Toni Collette gives an amazing performance!
I was so impressed with this movie when I rented it, I went right out and bought it and watched it again! Will (hugh grant) is a good looking, womanizing, millionaire, loner who's main priorities in life are himself, buying CD's, watching TV, and making sure that his life stays exactly the way that he wants it. But, when he invents a 2 year old son in order to meet single-moms, he meets a 12 year old boy named Marcus. As Will tries to teach Marcus how to be "cool", Marcus teaches Will that "no man is an island". Suddenly, Will finds his door wide open to new experiences and lessons. A great movie. VERY funny, entertaining, heartwarming, with a great cast of good actors!!
Watch it!
Rating:
Summary: Of course Bon Jovi said "No Man is an Island"
Review: Romantic comedies are usually cliche and tend to not evoke more than a snicker. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised by how delightful this film was to watch. It's light, funny, and touching at the same time. It's about a weird kid who finds his way into the heart of a shallow and scheming playboy. Hugh Grant plays the role of Will, a wealthy playboy who does nothing all day (collects royalties from a Christmas song his dad wrote) and believes that he is an island. He doesn't need anyone else in his life. His biggest concern from day-to-day is who he'll date. Nicholas Hoult plays Marcus, the weird kid. He has a tendency to spontaneously break out in song. He is made fun of and bullied everyday in school. Together, these two form an unlikely pair in self-discovery and interdependency when Will decides to go after single-parent moms and needs Marcus to play his child. This film is highly enjoyable and will make you laugh. I recommend it as a date film as well. ;) LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 4.5 (there's nothing strictly British about this film)
E (Erotica) - 0 (n/a)
A (Action) - 0 (n/a)
P (Plot) - 4 (it's hilarious how Grant convinces himself that his life is worth living alone)
Rating: 
Summary: Shortest review I have ever written...
Review: About a Boy (Chris and Paul Weitz, 2002) The moral of this film is that single childfree males are worthless scum incapable of responsibility until they acquire women and children. Utterly nauseating. (zero stars)
Rating:
Summary: Hugh's Best Movie
Review: "About a Boy" is the best movie I have seen Hugh Grant in. He plays a single man whose seen his friends get married and have children. He tries to find a way to meet women by going to a group for single mothers. He pretends to be a single father to win their affection. Which he does. However, he comes across an awkward boy. The boy is out of place and out of touch because his mother is out of place and out of touch. He befriends the child who is a target for bullies showing him that it's okay to be cool and good.
The boy who doesn't seem to fit in with anyone, meets a punk rock girl that he fancies. She at first, doesn't care for him but grows to like him. Both man and boy learn that no one person is an island. People need people.
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