About a Boy

  • 12
  • Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz (2002)
  • Ger / US / Fr / UK
  • 96 min
About a Boy
Film Review
Reviewed By
4 out of 5

Nick Hornby's answer to Bridget Jones gets the Brit flick treatment here from a surprising source, with American Pie directors Chris and Paul Weitz at the helm and Robert De Niro's Tribeca Productions as a backer. But, unlike the Americanised version of Hornby's High Fidelity, this movie remains on home turf. Hugh Grant is on excellent form as Will, 30-something singleton and the most shallow middle-class man in Christendom - or more specifically, north London - who intends to use single-parent support groups to pick up women. One of his would-be conquests introduces him to Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) - a troubled boy with a suicidal mother, played by Toni Collette - who forcibly "adopts" the unwilling Will. All goes surprisingly well until the confirmed bachelor falls for single mother Rachel Weisz, which puts a strain on their friendship. Genuinely funny and moving, this is both an endearing examination of masculinity and a challenge to male isolationism.

Plot Summary

Bittersweet romantic comedy drama based on the novel by Nick Hornby, starring Hugh Grant as womanising 30-something Will. In search of easy conquests, Will poses as a father at a picnic for single parents where he meets the emotionally troubled Fiona and her 12-year-old son, Marcus.

Cast and crew

Cast

Will
Hugh Grant
Fiona
Toni Collette
Marcus
Nicholas Hoult
Rachel
Rachel Weisz
Angie
Isabel Brook
Christine
Sharon Small
Suzie
Victoria Smurfit
John
Nicholas Hutchison

Crew

Director
Paul Weitz
Director
Chris Weitz

Other Information

Language: 
English
Colour
Theatrical distributor: 
UIP
Guidance: 
May be edited for language.
Available on video, DVD and BluRay
Released 26 Apr 2002
Certificate 12
Categories
Comedy

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