About a Boy, based on the novel by Nick Hornby - Seven out of 10

About a Boy, based on the novel by Nick Hornby

Seven out of 10

Although well received – indeed, this motion picture was nominated for two Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, also for an Oscar for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay and in the same category for a BAFTA, which included Tony Collette for a nod from Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.

Notwithstanding this and the considerable Metascore of 75 given by critics, it may seem that this pleasant, amusing at times feature has been making a splash bigger than its real value would justify.

“Be a Merit finder, Not a Fault Finder” is one of the mantras frequently used by Positive Psychology Harvard Professor Tal Ben-Shahar and there is quality to be found, evidently, in a film that uses clichés, but what mainstream fare does not use them…

Hugh Grant plays with his well-known talent and charm a rebel, bachelor and to some extent anti-establishment individual, Will Freeman, who does absolutely nothing to gain his bread, since his father had composed a popular Christmas song decades ago, allowing his son to live of the royalties…

When asked by a divorced mother what the song is, she recognizes and starts singing it with Marcus Brewer – on some levels the real hero of the plot, The Boy – and then asks what about the royalties for such singing and the amusing Will says he does not quite catch all those who perform on the streets.

The bachelor is so determined to remain single, enjoy his liberty – or should we say liberties – that he shocks his relatives and probably some conservative, evangelist audiences when he refuses to be the godfather of a baby, stating that he is so rotten as to look at the future knowing that he would teach her to smoke marijuana later and when she is of age, eighteen, try to have sex with her!

He takes his impropriety further, using a gathering of single parents to try to hook up with new dates, lying about the son he does not have, who at the age of two (!) comes to his remaining parent to comfort him after the elopement of the mother, saying something like “hang in there dad”, to the amazement of the gathered single mothers who are sympathetic.

Indeed, this ruthless stratagem works, for he has a date with one woman who brings with her baby and the son of a friend, Marcus Brewer –played with brilliance by Nicholas Hoult – and during their outings she takes the Boy again, given that his mother, Fiona Brewer aka the formidable Toni Collette, is so depressed as to try to commit suicide.

During such a trip to the park, Marcus is annoyed by the bread made by his parent – which has attracted the irony of the rather cynical mister Freeman – and throws it in the middle of the pond where ducks enjoy their swim until one is mortally hit by this flying object, which brings a ward to the scene, who demands explanations and receives a jocular, if heartless explanation from the creative liar that once had invented a child has no qualms about stating the duck had already been dead and Marcus did the proper thing by sinking it, since it was a disturbing sight for the toddler who should not see such a traumatic sight.

The scheme involving an invented baby is exposed, even if the Boy keeps it a secret for a while, visiting this awkward adult that appears to provide some strange calmness, a refuge from the home where the son is desperate about his mother’s breakdowns, psychological torment.

When Fiona eventually discovers that her Boy is seeing the single man on a regular basis, she is aghast at the bizarre discovery and assumes the worse must be true, takes the hero to the restaurant where Will is having dinner – or lunch – and he confronts him, demanding with imperiousness and growing wrath what the hell does he think he is doing with her kid.

The tables are soon turned, even if for embarrassing moments the adult and the public in the restaurant are flabbergasted and horrified by the hanging accusations and look in disgust at the suspect, up to the point where the facts are stated, the loathing the Boy has to return to a home where his mother is often destitute and in s ate of near total collapse.

At school, Marcus has some issues, although he finds he is attracted by a somewhat older girl and asks his peculiar, older friend about advice, and eventually establishes a sort of bong with the subject of his incipient romantic interest.

Will Freeman himself finds Rachel aka Rachel Weisz, someone who might eventually become a steadier partner that the anti-family man has had – he was used to make women suffer when telling them that their relationship must end, albeit he has a surprise when one  - in fifty? – rejects him and gives his usual speech in his place.

To please his mother, Markus takes part in a public ceremony where he is supposed to play “Killing Me Softly” against the insistent, tenacious advice of his adult friend who explains that this is an act of social suicide, people in the audience would kill him figuratively if he tries this…

Nevertheless, when the act is started and the Boy hesitates and indeed, as foretold attracts the mockery of the colleagues, Will comes on stage with a guitar and accompanies his friend, singing with him, even beyond the reasonable limit and even when decent Markus tells him the act is over…

This is what makes the script better, for instead of limiting itself to syrupy, déjà vu scenarios where we sympathize, become emotional and feel absolutely good about all that is going on, it places some awkward, rather daring – in the case of the godfather proposal – scenes, including this one where Will goes on and on with a lamentable end of the song exaggeration, until we laugh at him.

If not exceptional, About a Boy is still entertaining and amusing.