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Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) is a 38-year-old irresistible charming rogue, single, wealthy, and
unemployed. An ample inheritance allows him to work full-time at doing nothing but seek fun with women, buy CD's, and watch TV all day. Allergic to any serious relationship,
Will discovers that vulnerable solo mothers are his best market for uncompromising sex and short-lived affairs. Thus, he joins the support group SPAT (Single Parents Alone
Together) where he meets and dates Suzie (Victoria Smurfit). On their fateful second date, Suzie brings along 12-year-old Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), son of her SPAT friend Fiona
(Toni Collette). Marcus' problems are his pseudo-hippie suicidal mother and his habit of breaking into oldies' songs during class, attracting school bullies. Marcus takes a
liking to Will and believes him to be the perfect match for his Mom. But complications set in when Will falls for SPAT member Rachel (Rachel Weisz), and asks Marcus to pretend
to be his son.
This is a touching (though not really that original) feel-good movie, despite its
difficult-to-understand British manner of speaking and dry British humor which might not sit well with our local audience, unlike the more appreciated Bridget Jones's Diary
and Notting Hill from the same producers. While the first and last portions are real fun comedy, the mid portion drags to truly boring. The plot, music and
photography are great, with the internal dialogues of Will and Marcus providing arresting commentary. The main cast is endearing and the acting inspired, especially that of
the very appealing Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult with their striking screen chemistry.
About A Boy is
the story not of one but rather of two diametrically opposite "boys"—a 38-year-old perpetual adolescent languishing in a solitary shallow selfish existence, and a 12-year-old
loner striving to survive a stressful home and school environment and just wanting to make his emotionally disturbed mother happy. When their two lives collide, they develop
an unusual friendship, spawning suspicion from Fiona. Despite Will's initial annoyance with Marcus, he eventually finds meaning in life as he imparts his own extensive
knowledge to the impressionable Marcus. Marcus, in turn, becomes instrumental in giving Will a new perspective in life, that his precious carefully-guarded lifestyle does not
really give him that much enjoyment or satisfaction, and how giving of his time and energies and even love to others is worth all the work and sacrifice. This could be the
'coming-of-age' of the two "boys" as they learn valuable life lessons from each other.
(Date reviewed: August 9, 2002)
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