Reviews: About a Boy

[JoBlo]

JoBlo's 8/10 review of ABOUT A BOY can be found here: http://www.joblo.com/aboutaboy.htm

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[Puck Bond]

About a Boy 8/10...

About a Boy is a remarkably engaging, touching and very funny story about a man and a young boy and how they change one-another. Hugh Grant is wonderful as a shallow, self-centered lazy jerk who enjoys his meaningless life, who hatches a plan to meet and take advantage of single moms. Unfortunately for Grant a young boy of a disturbed and troubled woman...becomes attached to Grant. This is where the film's heart and soul lies with wonderful chemistry between Nicholas Hault and Hugh Grant who are wonderful together. Toni Collette is excellent as the young boy's suicidal mother and Rachel Weisz makes a nice albeit brief appearance (I agree joblo I wanted to see a lot more of her...I just dig her for some reason). On a side note I would like to say Hugh Grant seems to be growing on me lately. I've never been a big fan of his but last week I caught Notting Hill on TV and also watched Four Weddings and a Funeral a couple nights ago sort of forgetting how wonderful both of those films were...and I too was a big fan of him in Bridget Jones' Diary. Grant's narration in this film and two of those other films really adds to the humor and the sort of english awkwardness about him that makes him sort of charmingly funny...and it is a big reason why I enjoyed this film so much. So overall About a Boy is a wonderful touching story of a man and a boy who find and need each other...with a terrific cast all around...strengthening the feeling that the British are making wonderful comedies as of late.

[BadCoverVersion]

I absolutely adored this film...
Beautiful acting...charming script...wonderful direction...fucking excellent soundtrack!

Nicholas Hault was perfectly cast!
Childlike and innocent...an excellent young actor and somehow not yet wise beyond his years!
Hugh Grant was better than ever!
Toni Collette was superb as the tree-hugging suicidal mother!

An absorbing, enjoyable, humourous movie with a delightful cast and heartwarming story!
I despise sentimental movies and felt this had something else to offer!

See it simply for the Badly Drawn Boy soundtrack and the excellent rendition of Roberta Flacks Killing me Softly!

9/10

Hate to harp on but I really recommend this film kittens!

[herculeez]

About A Boy, what a damn good movie.
If someone had told me when i first watched Four Weddings And A Funeral, "don't worry Hugh Grant is gonna be a prick for a few years more, but wait till 2002 and you will see him in a film and actually think the guy is pretty cool", i would have laughed in their faces and told them otherwise...and then eaten my own words day before yesterday, coz i would have been wrong about all i said.
This movie is brilliant because i find it this home with me. It was written by, starring with a British guy and located in a British setting! It's a relief to see, other than an American setting.
The comedy was just brilliant, Hugh Grants vivid use of the words "Bugger" and "Fuck" were just used to perfection. And the boy in the movie played a very good part as far as i was concerned, it's just a shame he was put through the torture of having to wear that haircut for close to the entirity of the movie.
I admired and adored the direction in this movie and the fine use of cut editing in co-operation wiht a scene to establish time was simply genius.
The movie proves to be another success, adapted from the consistantly great writer that is Nick Hornby, i am just extremely looking forward to seeing if anyone is going to turn turn his newest book 'How To Be Good' into a movie.

Overall, exceptional movie, touching scenes, hillarious features and overall a feel good movie at the end of the day.

8/10

Good One!

[Strider]

About a Boy (2002)

Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language & Some Thematic Elements

Director: Chris & Paul Weitz

Starring Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, & Nicholas Hoult.

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0276751/ABCL1536x1024_2077R.jpg

The film's plot focuses on Will Freeman(Hugh Grant), a shallow and immature womanizer who doesn't have much a life. HIs life is turned upside down once he meets a young boy, Marcus(Nicholas Hoult).

"About a Boy" is a nice, heart-warming comedy. It's got a well-written story, and some great acting. It's always a pleasure watching Hugh Grant. And it's even more of a pleasure when he does a comedy. He always delivers a lot of charm, wit, and sarcasm. And his performance in "About a Boy", is no different. Grant delivered a great performance. One of the many things I liked about this flick was the wonderful chemistry between Grant and the young child actor, Nicholas Hoult.

On the downside: I did not appreciate the little amount of screen time Rachel Weisz had. I felt she was wasted. I believe she could've so much more if she was given a bigger part. Moving on, I thought the flick lost it's touch towards the end. And this was mostly because of one scene I did not care for at all.

"About a Boy" was a nice surprise. After the film was over, it was hard for me to believe that the directors of "American Pie" made such a good movie. And yes, I did not like the overrated "American Pie". But that's another story for another time. "About a Boy" should definitely not go overlooked by anybody this summer movie season.

Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Grade: 8/10

Strider

[BJ194500]

I'm a fan of Hugh Grant and British films in general, but cannot recommend this one. The movie is flat with no real emotion. Hugh just walks around in a daze throughout the whole movie. Sure he gives us his usual facial twitches and some one-liners, but not enough to carry a movie. The transformation of his character was not believable. I hate it when the background commentary has to explain everything. The "cherub faced" kid was also annoying - they should have used a "normal" kid to add realism. The ending was forced - just to tie things together for a happy conclusion.

[Raena]

Well, I saw this on opening weekend and I have to say, all the critics are correct, About A Boy is a very good film, easily my favorite film so far of 2002.

I think the critics adore this picture because, wow, there's actually some clever dialogue, and wow, for once we even get some character development, both which have seem to become a thing of the past.

Hugh Grant delivers, which, in my opinion, is not surprising. He's actually more than just a head of good hair. I hope The Powers That Be remember him at award time.

The other performances were also quite good. Nicholas Hoult was well-cast, as was Toni Collette and Rachel Weisz. The chemistry all around was perfect.

I also liked that this film was complex yet seemed simple and was a bit off-beat. And some scenes were just hilarious--case in point--Small SPOILER--when Nicholas Hoult got to walk down the street singing, "Shake Your @$$" or the sweetness in other scenes like the scene in the finale--Small SPOILER--featuring "Killing Me Softly."

Moreover, I appreciated the messages the film was sending. Life is what you make it.

BTW, I want Will's flat.

9/10

[SummerTime7665]

Very very well done! Honestly, I watched the preview and thought that this movie looked stupid, pointless and a typical Hugh Grant movie and I went with EXTREMELY low expectations. This movie was hilarious and soooooo cute! Hugh Grant cut down on his blinking and stuttering long enough to deliver a real touching, believable performance. The "boy", Marcus, was adorable and a very strong newcomer to the movie business. The whole movie went by with a surprising fast pace and good laughs along the way. (I loved Marcus walking down the hall, singing along to "Shake Your @$$" by Mystikal) The grandmother at x-mas time made me crack up! I loved every actor and actress in this film, as a matter of fact, because they had a clear and present chemistry that stayed consistent throughout the film. The development of the characters was done perfectly and I thought it was very sweet. They even managed to take a serious thing like suicide lightly and it didn't drag the whole mood of the movie down. It was absolutely hilarious. I don't want to tell you all about the plot details because not quite knowing how the movie went was one of the best parts of seeing the movie. The preview doesn't show you the heartwarming depth and message of it all. I disagree with JoBlo when he says that this movie is not for teens. It is, by no means, a "teen movie", but it is DEFINITELY perfect and appropriate for teens. You know, we're more intelligent than people give us credit for and this was a film for all ages. I recommend it for all smart teenagers looking for a pleasant time. The British accents didn't even bug me! It was a genuine good time! 9/10

[movieDUDE68686]

About A Boy (2002)
Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 1 Hour 45 minutes
Starring: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, & Nicholas Hoult.

"About A Boy" is a bloody brilliant film. HAHA! I don't think there is one this wrong with the wonderful film. Was it perfect? Hell yeah! Hugh Grant shines as a selfish man who lives off his fathers money. Hugh has a new fetish for single parents (they give it up easy or something) He bumps into a hotty who he takes out. One of the others mothers has a witty but depressed young boy, who just can't fit in. With a little help from Hugh the boy gets some new shoes, music, and a new attitude and look on life. About A Boy has everything going for it. The acting is tremendous and should not be forgotten during the Oscar Race. The story is either histarical or really serious, and every single minute, every single line, it is damn perfect. About A Boy is just the ultimate feel good movie. Bridget Jones's Diary (****/****) reminded me a lot of this movie... but I think this one was better. I have not read one negative review of the film, and will most likely not for a long long time.

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[blankpage]

ABOUT A BOY
starring:Hugh Grant,Toni Collette,Rachel Weiz,Nicholas Hoult,Sharon Small
Directed by:Chris and Paul Weitz
PG-13 (for some brief strong language and some thematic elements)


Ever since I heard about,About a Boy I thought I could fancy a go at this movie.But thing was About a Boy was released right around the same time Attack of the Clones came out.So I got tied up with them.The film was getting lots of good reviews,so I thought I might as well check it out.I was sceptical about this film though.After the horrifying tragedy of Bridget Jonses’s Diary,I basically lost hope about British comedies.Well I have re-gained hope I must say.Since this film was a delight to see,one of the finnest movies to have come out in 2002.

Will (Hugh Grant) is a selfish lifeless millionaire living in jolly ’ol England.He has no responsibility in his life at all.Maybe that is because he does nothing.When women ask him what he does,his response is nothing.Thus because Will’s father was the writer of a very famous one time wonder song.So he lives off his fathers earnings.He then decides to date single mothers,he thinks it’s easy.He wants to be Will the good guy.But after one of his relationships breaks off he decides to join SPAT.A group for single mothers to be a lone together.Thus meeting Rachel,one day when the go on a SPAT pick nick Will meets 12 year old Marcus.A young boy who is bullied at school and has a troubled life.So now Will and Marcus become very good friends.Will and Marcus both teach each other values that leads to a happy ending.

It is kind of hard to believe that this film was directed by the two guys that made American Pie,and Down to Earth.While I found both films semi-enjoyable I think the two have matured as directors.They take satire and drama together and don’t make it sappy like their last two efforts.It will be interesting to see what there next film will be,hopefully as enjoyable and great as this film.

The acting in the film was very nice.Hugh Grant was very charming and intelligent.The scenes were he would be telling us the story from his point of view was very funny and held the film in place.It would give light on a certain situation,and be able to tell us what he was thinking.And then being able to hear his response to the person he was talking to.Lots of it is complete satire,nothing very serious.
New comer Nicholas Hoult was quite good as well.Like Will’s character the audience was able to hear what he was thinking,and his view of life.

Another great thing about this film was that for the people over here in Canada,and the USA we were able to get a look into British culture and lifestyle.That’s something that I found very nice,like a vacation but without all of the hassle.So I did find out that England isn’t all bad of a place to live.But I probably won’t be moving there any time soon.But hopefully in a few years I will be able to visit the merry land.

Now back to the subplot and characters.I found most of the characters interesting.They all seem to come from different backgrounds and all seem to have their own personal problems.The things Will would to score with a women was at times very funny.Espically with is point of view talking to the audience.But one thing that bugged me a little bit.I try not to be picky but sometimes things like this stand out for me.

*Some Spoilers*
The girl that Marcus had a crush on all of a sudden became friends with him.Before she would be rude to him.But one day all of a sudden she just puts her arm around him.And they became friends.Probably because she probably took a liking to him because of something he said,but he didn’t seem to talk much.I was glad he was becoming a little bit popular,but just something that caught my eye
*End of minor Spoilers*

Anyways.For once their was a good script that followed this film behind.Many films I had seen recently has had a not so perfect script.If you want to talk bad,check out Scooby-Doo.The film was also based on a book,so probably the writer had some help behind him.But still,a fine script indeed that follows this film.

Now recently there has been a big deal of product placement.Just before I said that I didn’t mind the product placement,but now it has become the new “un cool”trend.And this film does have a nice little bit of product placement.Most recognizable were the high tech stuff Will owned.And a little bit of other stuff that I don’t want to remember.I just think that this product placement is getting way out of control.

I don’t want to bore you people,so I guess I will end this review.Let me just say that About a Boy is a delightful treat to watch.Intelligent comedy and some satire really make this film work.And of course it’s magnificent charm it puts onto you.A good script,and a good cast.One of the finner films that have come out in 2002.

“No man is an island.”

****1/2 (out of 5)

[Mike]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005JL7Q.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


ABOUT A BOY (2002)

"About A Boy" came as a real surprise to me. It looked good, but I still wasn't expecting much from it. However, it ended up being a funny, touching, and incredibly entertaining film.

I'm not the biggest Hugh Grant fan, but he amazed me here and gave one of the years best performances. He was very charming. Newcomer Nicholas Hoult did a very nice job as well. The chemistry between the two was simply wonderful.

"About A Boy" is one of the years best and most underrated films. It's a real gem. I highly recommend it.

Grade: 9/10 or A- or ****1/2 of *****

[DaFuNk44]

About a Boy (2002) --- > 8/10

About a Boy was a movie I have been looking forward to seeing ever since it came out, and unfortunately I never got around to seeing it in the theaters. This is really too bad because this movie, in my opinion, is right up there as one of the funniest movies of the year. Besides that, it also has a touching story about a man that finds a friend in a young boy and brings happiness to his life, and his own. What works so well here is the combination of Hugh Grant, who plays Will, and is irresistibly likable, funny and charming, and young Nicholas Hoult, who plays Marcus, the outcast at school and son of a mother who has some real problems. Together they teach each other valuable lessons and bring happiness into each other lives. The emotions seem so genuine, and the acting so convincing, that it’s hard to deny this touching story. The movie does a great job of involving us by presenting characters that we actually care about, characters who have a desire to be loved and noticed. It also stirs in some comedy, which comes mostly from Grant’s sarcasm and straightforwardness. A lot of people I know think of this as just another “date flick,” mostly because Grant’s in it and there’s chicks here and there, and that is just not true because really this movie is smart, clever, touching, funny and delivers a good message. This is a flick everyone should give a chance because it really does deliver some quality entertainment.

[Jerk Shapiro]

I rented this movie with high expectations. I didn't see many bad reviews. Luckily, this movie surpassed my expectations.

This movie made me smile. When it started, when it was over, and even in between. It's just an amazingly good, feel-good movie. I loved it.

I don't usually like Hugh Grant, but this was his best performance ever. He was great. As was the little kid.

All in all, a great film, and one of the top 3 of 2002, along with Signs, and Chicago. Great movie! Check it out!

9/10

[zsofika]

agree with all you fellow viewers...this film....had alot of love..in
it....and showed kids from a real perseptive..instead of adult
accessories...good work de niro...the acting...was very good..
left me with alot of warm feelings...

[Droog989]

I thought that this was THE role for Hugh Grant. He absolutely perfects this character, and although I hear people say how wholely different the book is, I personally don't give a damn because he's fantastic in this. There are so many memorable scenes and performances in this film, I just find it to be one of the most heartful and memorable filsm to come out in 2002, and Hugh Grant was overlooked for an award for this film. 8.5/10

[Sigur509]

9/10

Great

[zsofika]

excellently expressed...

[dillhead005]

I know that I am just going to be fitting the clientelle of the page, but i gotta say, this is one cool movie. Hugh Grant shines and plays in the role he was born to play. This movie isnt only funny in a "take your girlfriend to this movie and pretend to like it to get some later" funny, but actually really funny. I found myself shamelessly belly laughing at many parts. A SUPRISINGLY GOOD HIT!

[Doc Holliday]

I loved this movie. I rented it on a whim and was blown away. Best Hugh Grant movie IMO.