- Actors: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Sharon Small, Madison Cook
- Directors: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
- Writers: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Nick Hornby, Peter Hedges
- Producers: Brad Epstein, Debra Hayward
- Language English
- Classification: 12
- Studio: Uca
- VHS Release Date: 9 Feb 2004
- Run Time: 101 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000063W1Z
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,837 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The film version of Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy takes a deeper though no less entertaining approach than the easy laughs of Fever Pitch and High Fidelity. The "coming together" of idle playboy Will (Hugh Grant) and put-upon loner Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) is a revealing tale of self-understanding and role reversal. Will finds that being yourself is of little consequence without a defining human context, while Marcus finds that pleasing others counts for little without a degree of self-confidence. How they arrive at this complementary awareness is the intriguing subject matter of the film, involving well-meaning single mothers, difficult adolescents and helpless older adults. Yet there's a wider significance to all this in the guise of human stereotypes--how we fall into them and how we can try to get out of them.
The film's wit and amusement comes down to deft and understated directing from Chris and Paul Weitz, and a snappily crafted screenplay from Peter Hedges and the Weitz brothers. Grant clips his hair as well as his vowels for a believable and ultimately sympathetic Will--by far his best performance since Four Weddings and a Funeral. As Marcus, Hoult is convincingly self-dependent, but could have been even more self-absorbed. Toni Colette is a dead-ringer for the well-meaning but ineffectual hippie mother Fiona, while Rachel Weisz gives her best screen performance to date as the attractive and vulnerable Rachel, with whom Will comes of age emotionally. Badly Drawn Boy's soundtrack will delight those who enjoy his brand of reconstituted 1970s Dylan; the title track has a wistful charm and there's a gem of an instrumental in the "Countdown" sequence. About a Boy is in the best traditions of British comedy: enlightening as it amuses, it's a film to enjoy and come back to. --Richard Whitehouse
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The phrase "well it was good, but not as good as the book" is a phrase very often used when reviewing an adaptation of a successful novel and in many ways this is very true of "About a Boy".
Now before anyone thinks I'm having a pop at the film I'm not, the film is still excellent. A wonderful piece of relationship storytelling that is both touching and intelligent and also contains some extremely amusing asides on top.
Hugh Grant is on top form in this and proves that he can play something other than the dizzy floppy haired English Gent. In this he goes through a whole range of emotions and yet pulls it off with a considerable amount of subtly and panache that he remains utterly convincing throughout. Nicholas Hoult is similarly perfectly cast as the solemn misfit 12 year old and works a hundred times better than a "cuter" child star would have done.
However as good as the film is, I would recommend all who enjoyed the film (and those that didn't in fact) to read the original book by Nick Hornby, which includes larger roles for several of the characters, especially the Ellie character, and lots more relationship interplay and the film.
The one criticism of the film is the "happy every after ending" which is just a little bit too happy for anything other than Hollywood but on the whole a well recommended watch.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Grant plays, Will, a rich, lazy and irresponsible 38 year old, with little better to occupy his time than a daily dose of Countdown and chasing women. He strikes upon the idea of meeting single-mums, his rational being that they are easy prey and as a result of one of his liaisons, his life becomes complicated by the introduction of Marcus. Marcus, (Nicholas Hoult) is a twelve year old with a lot of problems on his hands, he is bullied and laughed at school, his hippy-ish, vegan mother has tried to kill herself and permanently looks like she is on the verge of doing it again, but his outlook is surprisingly mature. He strikes up a sort of friendship with Will and what entails is a charming tale of how man educates boy, and in turn boy unwittingly educates man.
Much had been made of Hugh Grant's new haircut for the film, gone the floppy fringe and in it's place a new spikier messed up look. Well he may have a new haircut, but he is as likeable as ever, playing something slightly sharper and more complex than the amiable buffoon and delivering an excellent performance. Hoult as Marcus makes an adequate if slightly unspectacular debut, but there is good support from the ever dependable Toni Collette, Victoria Smurfitt and Rachel Weisz. The Badly Drawn Boy soundtrack is excellent even if towards the end the songs begin to sound a little over-familiar.
Overall, I think Hornby can be pleased that his book has been reasonably faithfully interpreted. A few minor changes have occurred (from what I can remember of the book) but as a film by itself, this is a frequently amusing, interesting, bitter sweet drama that is perfect for a night in with the girlfriend.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
What a great film its a film that sets all your emotions going. It has just about everything laughter, romance, sadness and Hugh Grant - he just keeps getting better.
A fantastic cast and a great soundtrack of Badly Drawn Boy.
A definate film to buy and to watch again and again..
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fabulous every time
I have watched this film many times and still laugh and cry in all the right places, because it is so well written and acted. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Textile Figure Artist
Brilliant Conception
Those lucky enough to have come to this film from the book will probably have a better understanding of the subtle nuances than I have; however; my 1 cent says it's a great film by... Read more
Published 3 months ago by D. Smith
An uplifting and entertaining -- if not bold and provocative -- way to...
I see other people are raving about this movie, and I can understand why. The performances were spot-on, the pace perfect, the selection of scenes and dialogues masterful. Read more
Published 4 months ago by alda
It didn't kill me softly.
Will is self centred and has cast off all his responsibilities. But during one of his more dubious scams to date single mothers, he is forced to reconsider his moral fibre after... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Spike Owen
About a Boy
A different film, Hugh Grant is brilliant and a good story line. Some quite deep moments in the film that are quite sad but in general had some very funny bits.
Published 16 months ago by Mrs Mac
Prompt Delivery
The dvd i bought turned up very quickly and was in good condition. I will use them again
Published 19 months ago by Dana Jarvie
about a boy
great film about everyday real life challenges for the odd one out in every school playground
Published on 9 Mar 2010 by Pinkie
The man who teaches the boy to be a boy while the boy teaches the man...
Meet Will, a 38 year old bachelor; living off royalties from his deceased fathers' musical career, Will doesn't work, and finds his days filled with little moments in time... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by Dismal Angel
Hugh Grant Steals The Show
Whilst Hornby's book serves as a darkly ironic critique of the empty voyeurism of popular culture, the film adaptation mainly focuses of the performance of Hugh Grant, whose... Read more
Published on 6 May 2009 by Mathew Reily
About A Boy review
enjoyable film, very funny. have watched several times and still enjoy it. the characters in the film are all very believeable. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2009 by melanie
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