Hugh
Grant is in jolly good cad form in About The Boy, the latest
UK offering. He plays Will, the wealthy man about town that
has everything and enjoys his life to the full.
With
a steady stream of women in his life, he has no intentions
of settling down. Stumbling on the idea that it is easier
to easy to get a date with a single mother, Will joins SPAT
(Single Parents Alone Together) and invents Ned, his 2 and
a half-year-old son.
Everything
is going to plan and Will gets a date with single mother
Suzy (Victoria Smurfit). Off they go the park, with Suzy's
daughter Meegan and her friend Fiona's son Marcus (Ned was
unable to make it!). Upon returning though, they are greeted
by the gruesome discovery that Fiona had tried to kill herself.
At
this point, Will realises that he is too involved and intends
to cut all ties with the single parent world. Marcus however,
takes a shine to Will and imagines that he would be a super
match for his emotional mother. He begins following Will
and soon finds out that Ned is indeed a fictitious son.
After much ado, Will finally gets rid of the irritating
Marcus, his nutsy mother and the whole SPAT group. Life
goes on as normal, until he meets a lovely woman, who is
also a single mother. Will starts to see her and lies to
beat the band by pretending that Marcus is his son. It's
not as complicated as it sounds.
About The Boy (adapted from the Nick Hornby novel) is like
a male version of Bridget Jones. Will, the man, and Marcus,
the boy, narrate throughout the film, which is occasionally
annoying but sometimes hilarious.
A
nice touch is the use of household TV programs such as Who
Wants To Be A Millionaire and Countdown.
Hugh
Grant is his typical self, but thanks to a great script
at least he is funny. Marcus, on the other hand, was way
too serious for a 12 year-old. That character did not have
to be so irritating.
About
the Boy drags out for a while but is ultimately a funny,
feel good flic.
Verdict:
(3 stars out of 5)
About
the Boy is on general release from the 26th of April
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