The Bottom Line
I found "About a Boy" to be one of those rare films that is warm, human, funny, and entertaining from start to finish. It has far fewer clichés than other recent comedies.
Pros
- Warm, funny, and moving mix of comedy and drama
- Dialogue is sharp, smart, and fits the characters
- Entertaining and artistically satisfying movie
Cons
- Low-keyed: may not be exciting enough for some
- Too sentimental in places
- Heavy-handed at times
Description
- DVD containing comedy "About a Boy" (2002) based on Nick Hornby novel
- Stars Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and Rachel Weisz
- DVD contains a nice collection of bonus materials
- Excellent picture quality
- Excellent sound quality
Guide Review - "About a Boy" DVD Review
This satisfying comedy stars Hugh Grant in the role of Will Lightman, a shallow 38-year-old playboy. He's dated many attractive women, but he dumps them quickly. Will comes to know a 12-year-old social misfit named Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and develops a tentative friendship with him. Marcus hopes he can somehow get his mom and Will together, but that doesn't work out, and Will starts dating another single mother. Nevertheless, the bond between Will and Marcus gradually strengthens, and the man and the boy learn important lessons from each other. I found "About a Boy" to be one of those rare films that is warm, human, funny, and entertaining from start to finish. I thought the script was topnotch and the performances were terrific.
