I simply can't express what a total treat this film is. Hugh Grant puts on his finest performance (next to Edward Farrars in Sense and Sensibility) and the writing and direction are absolutely perfect. This film has it all, humor, message, quirkiness, drama... You can't go wrong with a viewing of this excellent work of art.

The concept is simple. An avaricious male pretends that he has a son in order to meet women and yet ends up becoming a parental figure for a young boy. Although this is "About a Boy" in a nutshell, the Weitz brothers' motion picture deals with the sobering topics of suicide and single parenting while infusing comedy to highlight the importance of relationships. This Oscar nominated film is a piece of entertainment that provides an interesting perspective on the realities of life.

Hugh Grant stars as the shallow Will Lightman in the film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy. An aging London bachelor, Will prides himself on being free of all commitments and believes that all men are islands. Never having worked a day in his life, Will lives comfortably off the royalties of his father's one hit wonder, "Santa's Super Sleigh." Self-indulgences like playing pool, watching television, and taking a bath fill up the units of his day. Newcomer Nicholas Hoult delivers a breakout performance as the 12-year-old outsider Marcus who is frequently bullied and does not have any true friends. Marcus is willing to do anything to make his depression prone mother Fiona smile; even commit social suicide. Wearing mustard-colored corduroy pants and a rainbow sweater, Marcus sings "Killing Me Softly," Fiona's favorite song, during a school talent show. Engrossed in her own problems, Fiona is clueless about her only son's misery.

The plot is set in motion when Will creates a fictional son named Ned in order to attend SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together) meetings and meet women. The SPAT mothers are the epitome of what Will has been searching for- thirsty for passion, but unready to commit to a relationship again. While dating one of the members, Will meets Marcus at a SPAT picnic. Upon arrival home, Marcus finds Fiona unconscious on the floor after a suicide attempt. She is revived and returns to normal life, but Marcus is never certain that she will still be there by the end of the day. Convinced by Fiona's instability that he needs another parental figure, Marcus sets his mother and Will up on a date, which fails miserably. Despite this, Marcus follows Will and manipulates the bachelor into spending time with him by threatening to expose the secret of Will's invention of Ned. Convinced that caring for another person is the last thing that he wants to do, Will realizes, over the course of the film, that Marcus is the only facet in his life of true value.

American brothers Chris and Paul Weitz managed to produce a heartfelt creation in the course of their third directorial venture. Before "About a Boy," the Weitz brothers had only previously directed the poorly reviewed "American Pie" and "Down to Earth." The brothers decided to experiment with the camera to incorporate more artistic shots than they had in their previous spineless works. As Marcus walks towards the camera during one of the scenes, the air is thick and distorted much like the air above a fire. The effect was accomplished by placing a burner underneath the lens and results in making this child appear threatening. Another interesting shot is when Will is shown walking in the opposite direction of everyone else like a fish swimming upstream. His avoidance of all responsibility and rejection of forming relationships makes him unlike the rest of humanity. The use of different color palettes helps the audience to better understand the characters. Will is associated with cool colors like blue and gray. His apartment is sleek and modern but also comes across as being unfriendly and absent of life because it is comprised of these muted tones. Marcus' house incorporates vibrant shades of color giving it a more cluttered and bohemian feel. Filled with material items, Will's flat reflects his shallowness. By the end of the film, the focus shifts from these objects to the people he has formed relationships with as they all gather in his home for Christmas. Novice directors Paul and Chris Weitz managed to fashion Hornby's novel into a genuinely meaningful and heartfelt film.

At the directors' request, Damon Gough, who is better known as the mastermind behind Badly Drawn Boy, agreed to score "About a Boy." Scoring this film was an interesting career move for Gough because he had just previously won the United Kingdom's coveted Mercury Prize for his first full-length album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast. The majority of recording artists generally record a follow-up album after their debut, but Damon Gough went in a completely different direction and tried his hands at scoring by writing original music for the Weitz brothers' film instead. Best described as folk-rock music, Badly Drawn Boy's melodic soundtrack harmonizes perfectly with the motion picture. "A Minor Incident" is heard when Marcus returns from the hospital and finds Fiona's suicide note addressed to him. This is the most moving and harrowing song in the movie because the lyrics function as the letter being read aloud. Damon Gough's music compliments the emotions of the scenes while still managing to stand on its own as a beautiful work of art.

I would highly recommend this film to anyone. Hugh Grant strays from his quintessential role as the charming love interest and is portrayed as a greedy and withdrawn jerk in this movie. His character does not have any relationships because he believes that if people can make you feel better, then they can also hurt you. Marcus shows Will that the risk is worth taking because human connections are what make life worth living. By the end of the film, Will has finally matured emotionally and realizes the eternal truth that no man is an island. A great movie with a positive message, "About a Boy" reminds us that authentic affluence is found in relationships.

A film that moves briskly, but carries the viewer along nicely. It is entertaining and features a realistic portrayal of characters struggling with lives that are slightly derailed. The film--similar to the film Passion Fish--avoids becoming maudlin or manipulative and manages to surprise the viewer once or twice.

Highly recommended.

Hugh Grant is pitch perfect in his role. He's been quoted as saying it's the only movie he can watch himself in and not cringe. I've always been a fan of Hugh Grant, but was pleasantly surprised when I caught it on DVD. I've watched it again numerous times and have fallen in love it. As with any movie that withstands the test of time, repeated viewings reveal that this a much deeper movie than it purports to be upon first sight.

This is a film about a man who is still a boy and a boy who is all-too quickly becoming a man. They are one another's exact opposites and through this become exactly what the other needs. Will is a man who has never had to truly care about anyone and Marcus is a boy who does nothing but care (primarily for his mother who is suicidal). Marcus craves a father figure and Will finds comfort in playing that role. While this doesn't sound like a comedy, it ultimately is. Their interactions are so akward and heartfelt that comedy cannot help but ensue. They are both on a quest to learn about life and themselves, but they cannot do it alone. The opening monologue of the film references Will's belief that every man is an island. However as he grows as a characters, it becomes apparent that maybe no man is an island and that to find an ounce of true happiness in life one must look to others. I find this to be one of the more enjoyable roles that Hugh Grant plays and as always Toni Collette (who plays the mother) is a gem. The romantic subplots feel slightly manipulative, but the relationship between Will and Marcus are genuine, sweet and truly entertaining.