About a Boy Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)May 23rd, 2002
"About a Boy" – Growth Equals Fulfillment
There's a scene late in this film that exemplifies just how good Hugh Grant is at these kinds of romantic/comedic flicks. He has a magical and innate way of turning a situation that should be humiliating to the audience into a statement of courage. Imagine being in a less-than-cordial environment where you have to publicly embarrass yourself by singing the uber-sappy, Lite FM radio anthem "Killing Me Softly with His Song." The fact that it is even tolerable to us is a credit to Grant who successfully reinvents his shallow character and to the screenplay that works hard to throw as many well-placed curve balls as it can so that when Grant finally swings and connects, it's a gratifying hit.
"About a Boy" is actually about two boys, 38-year old Will (Hugh Grant) and 12-year old Marcus (Nicholas Hoult). Will is looking for meaning. Marcus is looking for identity. They both need each other.
Will is a shallow and egocentric bachelor who has never had a job or a serious relationship. He never had to. He has been living off of royalties from a Christmas song created by his Dad. And he is too immature to enter any kind of long-lasting relationship. Without any real need for professional or personal attachment, he chooses to busy himself with such cosmetic priorities such as getting haircuts, taking baths, furnishing his home with Bang & Olafsen products and dating.
Will's latest strategy to socialize is to meet single mothers. He shamelessly participates in a support group for single parents and makes up saintly stories about how he is raising a son alone. His theory is that these women need sexual release yet offer the option of a guilt-free breakup. He certainly needs to grow up, and ironically it may take a kid to teach him just how to do that.
By underestimating the complications of dating this target segment, this circuitously leads to an introduction with young Marcus. The young lad lives in a difficult environment where a divorce has taken its toll on his manic-depressive and suicidal Mom (Toni Collette). In addition, he is a target of mockery at school, unbeknownst to his mother. His life is a nightmare, and he is wise beyond his years in recognizing it.
For the remainder of the film, Marcus, in his assured tone of voice, begs for Will to come clean. Marcus's description of a perfect girlfriend is particularly insightful. It's for the yearning and the mushy stuff that churns within your stomach and not about the physical part. That, of course, is surprising news to Will. And what was first a tenuous bond now begins to strengthen. And, even though Will may never be Mr. Right to some woman, he's turning out to be Father Figure Right for Marcus.
The movie manages to keep us involved because growing-in-earnest Will and growing-in-confidence Marcus are both deserving of better lives. But, there is a kind of lull that hangs over the film. It's not stirringly dramatic nor is it even ha-ha funny. We accept what we see, but aren't titillated. It's easy to like what you see, yet it seems as if the intensity of the film never rises. It's honest; it's cute; it's low-maintenance fare.
Grade: B-
S: 0 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 0 out of 3
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