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About a Boy (2002)

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3 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

What's surprising about this film are its writer/directors, who previously made American Pie, and the fact that one of its five producers is De Niro, whose Tribeca optioned Nick Hornby's book. Otherwise, it's all you'd expect of a Working Title Britfilm (light, cannily international); of a Hugh Grant comedy (gently rather than raucously funny); and of a Hornby cautionary tale about a self-centred male attaining belated maturity through love's discovery. The difference here is that the catalyst for change is a child, not a woman. If Grant appears a touch uncomfortable as rich but relatively downmarket slacker and womaniser Will, he remains adept with amusing asides and flustered emotions. Indeed, the performances are mostly fine. The problem, besides occasionally clumsy editing and direction, is the story. For anyone familiar with Hornby and Grant's past fare, it's deeply predictable. Furthermore, Hornby's crises and characters can be so facile, schematic and smugly moralistic that emotional substance can get overshadowed by fluff.

Author: GA

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Poppy said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 17:46 Best Grant film and a favourite of mine. Actually bothered to buy it on doovde. Hilarious and touching.

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Rachel Xo. said...

Posted on Aug 02 2008 22:55 my full time favourite film of all time! best film EVER!!!!

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al said...

Posted on Jul 01 2007 15:00 this is the best film i've ever seen. I fully reccomend it to anyone. THis is the best Hugh grant film EVER !!!

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