The film version of Nick Hornby's novelAbout a Boytakes a deeper though no less ... more
entertaining approach than the easy laughs ofFever PitchandHigh Fidelity. The "coming together" of idle playboy Will (Hugh Grant) and put-upon loner Marcus (Nicholas Hoult)...
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About a BoyA box-office smash in England,About a Boywent on to charm the world as another ... more
fine adaptation (followingHigh Fidelity) of a popular Nick Hornby novel. WhileHigh Fidelitytransplanted its London charm to Chicago, this irresistible comedy was ...
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Love Actually: The story of a group of people who find themselves surrounded by love... ... more
There's the new Prime Minister who falls for his personal assistant the Prime Minister's sister Karan who realises that her husband is attracted to his secretary...
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Growing up has nothing to do with age... Will (Grant) is a 38-year old Londoner living a ... more
bachelor lifestyle on the back of royalties earned from a Christmas song penned by his father some years previously. A serial womaniser Will comes up with the id...
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Bridget Jones: Edge Of ReasonAlthough it's been three years since we last saw Bridget ... more
(Renée Zellweger), only a few weeks have passed in her world. She is, as you'll remember, no longer a "singleton," having snagged stuffy but gallant Mark Darcy (Colin...
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Bridget Jones: Edge Of ReasonAlthough it's been three years since we last saw Bridget ... more
(Renée Zellweger), only a few weeks have passed in her world. She is, as you'll remember, no longer a "singleton," having snagged stuffy but gallant Mark Darcy (Colin...
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The film version of Nick Hornby's novelAbout a Boytakes a deeper though no less ... more
entertaining approach than the easy laughs ofFever PitchandHigh Fidelity. The "coming together" of idle playboy Will (Hugh Grant) and put-upon loner Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) is a revealing tale of self-understanding and role reversal. Will finds that being yourself is of little consequence without a defining human context, while Marcus finds that pleasing others counts for little without a degree of self-confidence. How they arrive at this complementary awareness is the intriguing subject matter of the film, involving well-meaning single mothers, difficult adolescents and helpless older adults. Yet there's a wider significance to all this in the guise of human stereotypes--how we fall into them and how we can try to get out of them.The film's wit and amusement comes down to deft and understated directing from Chris and Paul Weitz, and a snappily crafted screenplay from Peter Hedges and the Weitz brothers. Grant clips his hair as well as his vowels for a believable and ultimately sympathetic Will--by far his best performance sinceFour Weddings and a Funeral. As Marcus, Hoult is convincingly self-dependent, but could have been even more self-absorbed. Toni Colette is a dead-ringer for the well-meaning but ineffectual hippie mother Fiona, while Rachel Weisz gives her best screen performance to date as the attractive and vulnerable Rachel, with whom Will comes of age emotionally. Badly Drawn Boy's soundtrack will delight those who enjoy his brand of reconstituted 1970s Dylan; the title track has a wistful charm and there's a gem of an instrumental in the "Countdown" sequence.About a Boyis in the best traditions of British comedy: enlightening as it amuses, it's a film to enjoy and come back to. --Richard Whitehouse
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: John Duigan - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Charlize Theron, Stuart Townsend, Penelope Cruz
Advantages: More than just another Hugh Grant Rom-Com Disadvantages: Film is good, book is better.
The phrase "well it was good, but not as good as the book" is a phrase very often used when reviewing an adaptation of a successful novel and in many ways this is very true of "About a Boy".
Now before anyone thinks I'm having a pop at the film, I'm not, the film is still excellent. A wonderful piece of relationship storytelling that is both touching and intelligent and also contains some extremely amusing asides on top.
Will Freeman leads what for many must seem like an idyllic life. He doesn't have to work, thanks to a ubiquitous Christmas song written by his father, which keeps him in royalty money, and has a comfortable if rather soulless existence. In fact it is this very selfish lifestyle that makes Will a rather childish person. He is unable to sustain any sort of relationship and even thinking of others is an idea foreign ...
Advantages: Well acted, Great Book Adaptation Storylines, Fun for All Ages Disadvantages: Each Movie is About Three Hours Long
be ignored by the overall storyline.
I was slightly disapointed by this third story since it really didn't go by the books my L.M Montgomery at all. The first two movies are at least based on her books , but this movie was almost entirely made up. I was hoping the third movie would follow the other booksabout Anne as she is grown up with Children.
Still, the movie was well made and entertaining. It was good to see the actors again, and the costumes anad attention to detail from the World War I era are fantastic. It's not as good as the first two movies, but well worth a watch.
******Conclusion*****
All these movies in the BoxSet; Anne of Green Gables, The Sequel , and The Continuing Story, are so much fun. Children around the age of 7 and up will enjoy the first one. While children more around the age of 10 and up would ...
Advantages: funny, well acted and fun for all Disadvantages: can't think of any
In my opinion about a boy is a brilliant film. the storyline is very involving and you sing the songs and keep repeating the phrases the actors have said for a very long time afterwards.The actors are good and it keeps you in hysterics from start to finish. Also loved by my daughters and their friends, 13 & 16 so good for all ages. Would say it would make an excellent family film. in my opinion The 12 certificate is a little high for the film, as their are only a few references/rude words.
I feel also that the film would not be offensive to anyone.
The young boy in the film is very well portrayed and Hugh Grant is very funny. Special and bonus features well worth watching too.
Recommended for all with a sense of humour and who like comedies. ...
ABOUT A BOY, directed by Chris and Paul Weitz, stars Hugh Grant as Will Freeman, a proudly self-absorbed 38-year-old Londoner. Living lavishly off the royalties from a hit Christmas song penned by his father, Will excels at nothing except doing nothing, which, in his case, includes shopping for CDs and having his hair "professionally disheveled." When Will makes a guilt-free exit from a brief fling with a single mom, he decides to crash a meeting of S.P.A.T. (Single Parents, Alone Together) in pursuit of more single mothers. This scheme leads to meeting Suzie (Victoria Smurfit) and Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), the socially awkward 12-year-old son of her flaky best friend, Fiona (Toni Collette). A series of odd situations leads to Will and Marcus becoming unlikely friends, and gradually both of their lives start to change for the better. However, when Will falls for the lovely Rachel (Rachel Weisz) and attempts to pass Marcus off as his son, things go awry. In order to win the heart of Rachel and make amends with Marcus, Will must finally grow up--and completely embarrass himself in front of hundreds of people. Reveling in its characters' quirks and flaws, ABOUT A BOY is a smart, funny, and fast-paced comedy, meticulously crafted by the Weitz brothers. Grant, in possibly the best performance of his career, wisely covers his patented charm with a shallow facade, and Hoult avoids being too cute or precocious; instead, the two actors develop believable characters that grudgingly warm up to each other. Collette is suitably bizarre as a depressed hippie mother, and Weisz provides excellent support in her relatively small role. However, it's clear from the title that this film is about the boys. And that includes Badly Drawn Boy (aka Damon Gough) who contributes an outstanding soundtrack that recalls Simon and Garfunkel's work on THE GRADUATE. Given Nick Hornby's excellent source material, ABOUT A BOY could have easily been an enjoyable movie, but in the hands of its talented collaborators, it's a truly exceptional tale.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
VISION VIDEO LTD.; UNIVERSAL MUSIC OPERATIONS
Release date
02/12/2002
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
907 008 9
Barcode
3259190700895
Music Performer
Badly Drawn Boy
Screenwriter
Nick Hornby, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Peter Hedges
Documentary - 1. The Making of ABOUT A BOY, Interview - Badly Drawn Boy - Composer, Audio Commentary - 1. Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz - Directors, Deleted Scenes with Directors' Commentary, Music Videos - 1. Silent Sigh - Badly Drawn Boy, 2. Something to Talk About - Badly Drawn Boy, Scene Selection, Interactive Menus, Book, Soundtrack CD
DVD Description
ABOUT A BOY, directed by Chris and Paul Weitz, stars Hugh Grant as Will Freeman, a proudly self-absorbed 38-year-old Londoner. Living lavishly off the royalties from a hit Christmas song penned by his father, Will excels at nothing except doing nothing, which, in his case, includes shopping for CDs and having his hair professionally disheveled. When Will makes a guilt-free exit from a brief fling with a single mom, he decides to crash a meeting of S.P.A.T. (Single Parents, Alone Together) in pursuit of more single mothers. This scheme leads to meeting Suzie (Victoria Smurfit) and Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), the socially awkward 12-year-old son of her flaky best friend, Fiona (Toni Collette). A series of odd situations leads to Will and Marcus becoming unlikely friends, and gradually both of their lives start to change for the better. However, when Will falls for the lovely Rachel (Rachel Weisz) and attempts to pass Marcus off as his son, things go awry. In order to win the heart of Rachel and make amends with Marcus, Will must finally grow up--and completely embarrass himself in front of hundreds of people.<BR>Reveling in its characters' quirks and flaws, ABOUT A BOY is a smart, funny, and fast-paced comedy, meticulously crafted by the Weitz brothers. Grant, in possibly the best performance of his career, wisely covers his patented charm with a shallow facade, and Hoult avoids being too cute or precocious; instead, the two actors develop believable characters that grudgingly warm up to each other. Collette is suitably bizarre as a depressed hippie mother, and Weisz provides excellent support in her relatively small role. However, it's clear from the title that this film is about the boys. And that includes Badly Drawn Boy (aka Damon Gough) who contributes an outstanding soundtrack that recalls Simon and Garfunkel's work on THE GRADUATE. Given Nick Hornby's excellent source material, ABOUT A BOY could have easily been an enjoyable movie, but in the hands of its talented collaborators, it's a truly exceptional tale.
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