About Boys, Old and Young

About A Boy tells of growing pains and making one’s way into the harsh world of the adult. As the movie progresses, it is apparent that two boys -- one prepubescent, the other a few years shy of middle age – are both going through the process.

The main character, Will Freeman (Hugh Grant), is oddly familiar. At 38, he is Peter Pan with a nice shack, a big TV and an even bigger ego. You might recognize him through his easy charm and propensity to drop women like a piece of crumpled paper. Unlike the rest of us, he never has to break a sweat as he lives off the royalties of his father’s hit Christmas song. The highlight of his day is settling down into his comfy leather couch to watch game shows. The Ultimate Schmuck. The Big Liar. You might have dated someone like him or had a best friend like him at one point in your life. (I doubt that your schmuck is as cute as Grant, though.)

If you have ever wondered how a self-centered loser’s mind works, this is the movie for you. We are ushered into the thoughts of a man who is content at being the center of his own universe; one who seeks occasional thrills to liven up his sorry existence. He finds out that dating single mothers is a roll in the hay without emotional attachments - the kind of relationship he prefers - and this discovery leads him to a boy who changes his life.

Enter Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), a socially awkward 12-year-old with a manic depressive mother who loves him but hasn’t a clue on how to raise him. He feels responsible for his mother’s behavior and takes pains in making her feel good. Kids at school throw soccer balls at him and he has the propensity to sing out loud while walking. It is no wonder that others find him strange.

One nearly tragic circumstance entwines the lives of the two and Marcus initiates an unlikely bond that forces Will to rethink his philosophy that he can make it through this life alone.

The makers of comedy gems like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Notting Hill and the producers of Meet The Parents seem to have another hit on their hands. This tender and funny movie has both the heart and the humor that make the trip to the moviehouse worthwhile. It is filled with characteristic British wit and gets the laughs without anybody having to be dipped in a vat of gravy. British comedies are cerebral and, thus, more engaging than the slapstick variety that Hollywood feeds us with.

The strange thing about Will’s character is you know he’s a loser but you completely sympathize with him. With Grant playing Will, the charm is turned on to full power and hating somebody who is as lost about life and love as the next schmoe is almost impossible. Grant is his usual appealing self despite the appearance of a few laugh lines and crow’s feet here and there. He is left with nothing much to do but be cool and devilish. He does have some moments of seriousness as when he finally admits to Rachel (Rachel Weisz), the woman who finally makes him feel something, that he really is an emotional cripple. Grant succeeds in making Will come off as someone who fails at the task of fooling himself into believing he is not searching for something -- or someone.

Hoult is the winsome boy who is up there in the charm department with Grant. He is so affecting in this movie that he threatens to steal the thunder away from his gorgeous co-star. As the sensitive, loving and resilient Marcus, Hoult delivers a textured portrayal without even trying. He is quite a find.

The movie has a strong supporting cast as well. Toni Colette plays another hard-up mother whose emotional baggage makes it difficult for her to function as a parent. Her role as Haley Joel Osment’s mom in The Sixth Sense earned her an Academy Award nomination and she delivers another strong yet understated performance as the depressive hippie mother in About A Boy. She can be funny, too. Rachel Weisz is given very little screen time but this does not keep her from making her mark.

We all have to grow up some time and need the help of other people as we wade through this muck called life. Will learns that the sweet way but the rest of us are not so lucky. This is a masterfully crafted movie that exceeds expectations.

E-mail the author at lmpilapil@philtown.com.ph