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This is it. The culmination of Hugh Grant's career. He has never been better than he is in this film and that includes Four Weddings and a Funeral.
About A Boy is the new film, to be released in the States the same week as Star Wars, from the brothers Weitz, who previously entertained cinema audiences with American Pie. That movie surprised us with its sweetness while still providing a grand succession of chuckles. Their new movie, starring Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult, is similar in its blend of laughter and sympathy. But this time, surprisingly, the drama is placed on a higher shelf than the comedy.
Grant, improving on his wonderfully cocky cad role in Bridget Jones', plays an absolute bounder here. He lives off the royalties of his Dad's one successful record and spends his time either watching TV or dreaming up original and painless ways to meet dates. One such scheme involves pretending to be a single parent in order to meet other single parents. You see single parents are an easy lay. Then Grant meets Hoult, a son of one of these troubled single parents and the boy becomes attached to him.
There are lots of surprises in this movie and I won't spoil anyone. However don't be expecting a gross-out comedy. There are moments of high drama in this movie that are as unexpected as they are touching. Its really a story of the boy, Hoult, who's life isn't very pleasant. Grant gets to have all the best lines but unlike his previous performances, there is an arc to Grant's character which he plays to perfection. The film really is about Grant redeeming himself and finding out that he isn't as bad a guy as he wishes he was.
The film starts with the statement: "No Man is an Island". Grant's life goal has been to disprove this. By the end of the movie, the statement is proven true. And Grant is a better person because of it.
Grant is a very likeable leading man even when he is playing a very rotten person like Will. Very few actors enchant us as much as Grant does. He is excellent here, both at the comic and poignant scenes. He is helped by the performance of the young Hoult, who is so natural in front of the camera. He looks and acts like a twelve year old. And the audience loves him. Toni Colette balances her difficult performance between tragedy and comedy with aplomb. And Rachel Weisz, when she shows up, is as luminous as ever.
Dare I say, forget Star Wars, and go see this. I doubt Mr. Lucas will be able to make a film as warm as About A Boy.
About A Boy is the new film, to be released in the States the same week as Star Wars, from the brothers Weitz, who previously entertained cinema audiences with American Pie. That movie surprised us with its sweetness while still providing a grand succession of chuckles. Their new movie, starring Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult, is similar in its blend of laughter and sympathy. But this time, surprisingly, the drama is placed on a higher shelf than the comedy.
Grant, improving on his wonderfully cocky cad role in Bridget Jones', plays an absolute bounder here. He lives off the royalties of his Dad's one successful record and spends his time either watching TV or dreaming up original and painless ways to meet dates. One such scheme involves pretending to be a single parent in order to meet other single parents. You see single parents are an easy lay. Then Grant meets Hoult, a son of one of these troubled single parents and the boy becomes attached to him.
There are lots of surprises in this movie and I won't spoil anyone. However don't be expecting a gross-out comedy. There are moments of high drama in this movie that are as unexpected as they are touching. Its really a story of the boy, Hoult, who's life isn't very pleasant. Grant gets to have all the best lines but unlike his previous performances, there is an arc to Grant's character which he plays to perfection. The film really is about Grant redeeming himself and finding out that he isn't as bad a guy as he wishes he was.
The film starts with the statement: "No Man is an Island". Grant's life goal has been to disprove this. By the end of the movie, the statement is proven true. And Grant is a better person because of it.
Grant is a very likeable leading man even when he is playing a very rotten person like Will. Very few actors enchant us as much as Grant does. He is excellent here, both at the comic and poignant scenes. He is helped by the performance of the young Hoult, who is so natural in front of the camera. He looks and acts like a twelve year old. And the audience loves him. Toni Colette balances her difficult performance between tragedy and comedy with aplomb. And Rachel Weisz, when she shows up, is as luminous as ever.
Dare I say, forget Star Wars, and go see this. I doubt Mr. Lucas will be able to make a film as warm as About A Boy.
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I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.
I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.
