Movie Reviews
Grant breathes life into tired genre
By Nicole Rodriguez
Ass't Scene Editor
The romantic comedy is probably the most overdone genre in Hollywood, and Hugh Grant is one of the most overused romantic leads. From Four Weddings and a Funeral to Mickey Blue Eyes to Notting Hill, it seems that we are subjected to commercial after commercial attempting to lure us into yet another generic example of this phenomenon. Because of this, it becomes easy to lose faith in Hollywood all together. Fortunately, Universal Studios is set to release a film that will finally redeem the genre.
Based on the popular British novel of the same name, About a Boy features Hugh Grant as Will Lightman, an English thirty-something who spends his time living off his father's inheritance and flirting with every woman that comes into view. He's the type of man all women fear and yet still fall for: he's handsome, he's charming and he has the maturity of a 12-year-old.
Across London, actual 12-year-old Marcus (talented newcomer Nicholas Hoult) is trying to come to terms with being ostracized by his peers and taking care of his clinically depressed single mother, Fiona (Toni Collette).
The two never would have met, but Will discovers an untapped dating resource: single moms. While pursuing the woman upstairs, Will has a chance encounter with Marcus. For some odd reason Marcus sees Will as an escape from his life and latches on to the emotionally shallow Will and eventually decides to try to set him up with Fiona.
This basic premise could have been the equation for another forgettable summer fling of a movie, but screenwriting/directing duo Paul and Chris Weitz defy the genre's stereotypes to create a truly praiseworthy tale.
Their original dialogue expertly weaves comedy and drama together, providing the viewer with a final product that doesn't fall nicely into either category. It is incredibly witty when appropriate yet also genuinely touching at others. The Weitzes also opt to include a number of great interior monologues and commentary, which prove to enhance the scenes and our ability to relate to the characters.
In truth, it is one of the most honest works to come out of Hollywood in years � quite a delightful surprise coming from the Weitzes, who built their reputations with the gross-out teen comedy American Pie.
Grant, who finally broke his nice-guy mold last year in Bridget Jones's Diary, resists the urge to make his character overly likeable, as he did in Notting Hill. Rather, his performance is an expertly crafted combination of the two.
Although all members of the ensemble cast give strong performances, it is Grant's whose is both the most impressive and the most surprising. This film has finally allowed him the chance to prove his versatility as an actor.
In fact, the only part of About a Boy that can be criticized is Universal's decision to release it opposite the over-hyped Attack of the Clones. A movie of this caliber deserves every opportunity to shine at the box office, but it tragically seems as though Boy will be ignored in favor of light sabers and pod races. One can only hope that audiences will have the good sense to see it the following weekend. A