by Edward James

Created on: June 07, 2010

About A Boy is a movie based on Nick Hornby's famous novel of the same title that was written by Peter Hedges, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz and also directed by the latter two, that was released back in April 2002.

Will is a nearly forty year old waster who has never had a job yet lives the life of a rich batchelor by creaming the royalties off his one hit wonder father's Christmas smash. Never having a long term relationship means Will is facing the prospect of growing old alone so his friends decide to do something and organise a blind date with a single mother. This is a turning point for Will as he decides single mothers are the way forward, and joins Single Parents Alone Together ("SPAT") as a way to meet future conquests.

In an unlikely sequence of events, Will befriends Marcus  a twelve year old boy, who is intent on getting Will and his mother together so they can be one family unit. Will and Marcus' friendship develops and the two become close, and whilst things don't always go to plan the pair become inseparable and starts to look out for each other in everyday life.

Does Will, Marcus and become the family unit Marcus so desperately wants? Does Will grow old lonely? How does Will and Marcus' relationship really develop?

There are loads of characters in this movie, with the main ones being;

i) Will - Hugh Grant

ii) Marcus - Nicholas Hoult

iii) Christine - Sharon Small

iv) John - Nicholas Hutchinson

v) Fiona - Toni Collette

vi) Suzie - Victoria Smurfit

vii) Rachel - Rachel Weisz

This movie focuses on the above, all of whom do a great job, but they are backed up by a large cast of supporting actors/actresses. I don't think any of the supporting cast gave outstanding performances but they all did a more than adequate job.

I appreciate this movie has been around for years and I am the first to admit that it never really appealed to me, even though I had heard some good things about it. I am not a Hugh Grant fan and if I am going to watch a romantic comedy I can think of dozens of other actors I would prefer to see before Hugh. However, since this movie was being aired on terrestrial television over the festive period, and there was absolutely nothing else on, me and the other half sat there and watched it. 

The story line of this is totally un-believable and would never happen, ever. In this day and age any fully grown man befriending such a young boy would be accused of a whole manner of things, but for a single man living the ultimate batchelor

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