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Features: DVD, Widescreen
Hugh Grant (Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's Diary) is simply brilliant in this comedy hit the critics are hailing as "Hilarious!" (Premiere). Will Lightman (Grant) is a good-looking, smooth-talking bachelor whose primary goal in life is avoiding any kind of responsibility. But when he invents an imaginary son in order to meet attractive single moms, Will gets a hilarious lesson about life from a bright but hopelessly geeky 12-year-old named Marcus. Now, as Will struggles to teach Marcus the art of being cool, Marcus teaches Will that you're never too old to grow up. About A Boy is the irresistible comedy smash US Weekly raves is "The best comedy of the year!"
"The best comedy of the year!" Thelma Adams, US WEEKLY
"Irresistible!" David Ansen, NEWSWEEK
"The acid comedy of Grant's performance carries the film." Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"Two thumbs up!" Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER
"...an exceptionally fine and richly entertaining film..." Joe Leydon, The Examiner
"Hugh Grant...has never been more charming..." Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Editor's Note
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.
| Features | Hilarious Outtakes | | How Cool Are You? Quiz | | Deleted Scenes with Director's Comments | | English to English Dictionary | | Exciting Music Videos | | "Killing Me Softly" Sing-A-Long Karaoke Style | | "Making Of" Featurette | | "Santa's Super Sleigh": Lyrics to the Entire Song |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal |
| Release Date: 8/1/2006 |
| Running Time: 101 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2002 | | Catalog ID: 21979 | | UPC: 00025192197925 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew | Hugh Grant | | Madison Cook | | Nicholas Hoult | | Rachel Weisz | | Sharon Small | | Toni Collette | | Nick Hornby - Based On A Book By | | Nick Hornby - Based On Novel By | | Priscilla John - Casting By | | Remi Adefarasin - Cinematographer | | Nicky Kentish Barnes - Co-Produced By | | Debra Hayward, Liza Chasin, Hardy Justice - Co-Producers | | Joanna Johnston - Costume Designer | | Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz - Directed By | | Paul Weitz - Director | | Chris Weitz - Director | | Remi Adefarasin - Director of Photography | | Nick Moore - Editor | | Nick Hornby, Lynn Harris - Executive Producers | | Badly Drawn Boy - Music By | | Damon Gough - Musical Score | | Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Brad Epstein, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner - Produced By | | Robert De Niro - Producer | | Tim Bevan - Producer | | Jim Clay - Production Designer | | Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz - Screenplay By | | Peter Hedges - Writer |
| Awards |
Golden Globe (2003) | | | Hugh Grant, Nominee, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture--Musical or Comedy |
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| | Professional Reviews | Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...The script contains an arresting mixture of uproarious, tender, and bitingly abrasive moments....This is a captivating film; superlative writing and acting make it soar..." 05/01/2002 p.40-1Sight and Sound
"...A pleasurable experience..." 05/01/2002 p.36 Hollywood Reporter
"...Thanks to the excellently adapted script, we are shown a group of characters with real emotional depth....The Weitzes have directed the film with great ability..." 03/26/2002 p.64 New York Times
"...[The directors] handle the sentimentality of the story with a light, sweet touch....You succumb to the movie's warmth and bonhomie..." 05/17/2002 p.E1 USA Today
"...ABOUT A BOY is that rare film that's as clever and moving as the book on which it was based....It's a well-written, witty film whose memorable characters grapple with the nature of family, love, friendship and despair..." 05/17/2002 p.15D Total Film
"...[The directors] deliver a punchy, smirking script, laced with irreverence. Just as importantly, there's real chemistry between Grant and his young co-star..." 05/02/2002 p.92 Entertainment Weekly
"...Hugh Grant has grown up, holding on to his lightness and witty cynicism....Grant draws on, and deepens, his enjoyable performance as the seducer boss in Bridget Jones' Diary..." 05/24/2002 p.61-2 Chicago Sun-Times
"...Hugh Grant, who has a good line in charm, has never been more charming than in ABOUT A BOY....A comedy of confidence and grace..." 05f/17/2002 p.31 Wall Street Journal
"This is better than feelgood movie, it's a feelgreat movie -- affecting when you least expect it and funny from start to finish." 10/09/2009 James Berardinelli's ReelViews 7 of 10
Every once in a while, a movie comes along that, despite traversing familiar terrain, is made with enough all-around skill that it overcomes its clichŽd origins. About a Boy is such a movie. - James Berardinelli
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