The Film:  About A Boy

Year: 2002

Genre:  Romantic Comedy

Directed By:  Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

Written By:  Nick Hornby (Novel), Peter Hedges, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

Starring: Hugh Grant, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette

Why Rent It?

In celebration of the London Olympics, we’re bringing you a film that takes place across the pond, based on a story by one of Britain’s best writers.

 Author Nick Hornby wrote About a Boy after Fever Pitch and High Fidelity, both of which were adapted into films.

The Breakdown:

About A Boy teaches us that being alone isn’t as great as it might seem.

The film features an incredible soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy:

About A Boy shows us that music can bring people together:

Final Analysis: 

About A Boy was received well by critics and audiences, and it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Hugh Grant was at the top of his game in About a Boy.  Critic Rogert Ebert noted:

There is a scene where Grant does a double-take when he learns that he has been dumped (usually it is the other way around).

The way he handles it–the way he handles the role in general–shows how hard it is to do light romantic comedy, and how easily it comes to him.

We have all the action heroes and Method script-chewers we need right now, but the Cary Grant department is understaffed, and Hugh Grant shows here that he is more than a star, he is a resource.

The American Film Institute named the film one of the 10 Best of 2002.

About A Boy is available on Amazon and at Netflix.