Every year the English, like many countries (incl. Australia), keep churning out quirky comedies in an effort to try and capture the international success received a decade ago when the superb "Four Weddings and a Funeral" launched the genre and Hugh Grant into money making stardom. Only two films since then have really succeeded - the wonderfully emotional "Notting Hill" and last year's biting yet charming "Bridget Jones' Diary". Now comes "About a Boy" which is firmly up there with the level of 'Bridget' and will open author Nick Hornby's works to a wider audience than ever before.
The story of "About a Boy" is interesting in that there was a big chance that if not laid out carefully, it would easily fall into a mess. After all our hero is a very selfish 38-year-old layabout not doing much with his life except some rather naughty things like picking up single mothers at self help groups and talking dirty to women during an Amnesty telethon to help kids in Burma (one of the funniest gags in the film).
Maybe its the sheer Britishness of the tale, but more likely its the well penned script by the Weitz brothers (and of course Hornby's well-constructed story) which has helped avoid the moralistic statements or overt sentimentality which a direct US studio film version would unfortunately have become plagued in. Sure one or two elements are predictable at times and the ending, whilst not too cheesy still makes a bit too much of a moral judgement call, nevertheless these are practically the only faults one can find with the film.
The acting is superb, Hugh Grant gives us another variation on his style - the performance here more resembles his work in 'Bridget' than previous films, but the character is a bit less of a cad - he realises he's a flawed and unambitious bit of a sleaze and yet has accepted it and taken comfort in it. He's depressed but has no self-pity and a decent level of confidence which makes his character quite frankly the most complex he's ever played and yet he's very easy to sympathise with.
Newcomer Nicholas Hoult makes an impressive debut as the rather mature for his age kid forced to look after his troubled and very controlling mother, and is getting regularly picked on at school - its one of the few child performances you'll actually really like (I hate kids on screen normally, this guy however I could watch for hours).
Collette really gets to show off some work in her role - the character could easily have been played as a mean bitch or a complete waste, but the performance and actors give an unexpected take by giving the disheveled looking woman her own quirks and complexities which are touching and work the drama angle well. Its never in any doubt this is a woman who loves her son deeply and is struggling with all her might to keep her head above water yet can't help sinking back down into depression despite everything she tries. Weisz appears in a charming but forgettable part as Grant's love interest in the second half and watch out for a hilarious sereis of gags related to her son whose overprotective to the point of insanity.
The script and laughs are at a new level for the Weitz Brothers, not only is there a deftly mixed amount of drama and comedy which easily changes mood without a blink, but the story itself almost never panders to the audience and has a ring of truth to it that's getting harder and harder to find in comedies these days.
'About' easily sits above the quality of BOTH their "American Pie" movies - the humour is just as accessible but cleverer, the drama is a lot less "Dawson's Creek" painful and more real life touching, and the actors/setting are far more interesting and engaging. Badly Drawn Boy's music gets a little repetitive at times but its nice and offbeat without being too 'Top 40 chart' style predictable. 'About' is a relationship comedy which is far more rewarding and enjoyable than many other films out now, so far its easily one of the best films of the year.
