About a Boy (2002)

 

cast: Hugh Grant, Rachel Weiz, Toni Collette

 

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Rated: PG13

 
reviewed by: Charity Bishop
 

Although a definite improvement over some of the studio's prior projects like American Pie, About a Boy still has a cold, dead, and crude heart that believes the general public's desire is to love a womanizing deadbeat like this film's 'hero,' Will. Living life as simply and pleasurably as he can (which includes always looking 'hot,' and hitting up every single woman on the street for date and evening sex), Will has a real problem. He's shallow. He's not as much of a chick magnet as he used to be. And... he has a plan. Realizing that divorced women with kids are somewhat easier to manipulate, he decides to masquerade as a jilted husband and father with a made-up toddler, all in the prospect of finding new ground. He hooks up with a pretty young woman at the single parents' meetings, but their one date falls flat when she insists on bringing her best friend's kid Marcus along. The youngster is too smart for his own good, but sadly in need of a good influence. Unfortunately, Will isn't the right influence on his life and the film takes a hair-raising turn when they return home to find Marcus' mom unconscious from an attempted suicide.

Marcus likes Will and attempts to set her up with his mom, whom Will befriends first superficially, but then more deeply when he realizes that she truly needs help. In a humorous twist, Marcus learns that Will is only pretending to be married and a father, and uses this against the 'would-be dad' to gain his own advantage. In the meantime, Will is beginning to fall for Rachel, a single mom in their group. Not as a future sexual prospect or a one-night stand. As a real person. The only problem is that she believes Marcus is Will's son... and he can't fess up. Although the film has a good heart and the selfish Will does improve with time, About a Boy is a rocky, often cynical and uncomfortable ride through what could more accurately be called About a GIRL. Perhaps the story isn't really about Will at all, but more accurately, about Marcus... and single mothers. Taking such an offensive standpoint as looking at divorced and single mothers as future sexual prospects doesn't do a great deal to endear Will to the average viewer. Some, like myself, will be downright offended. The film also flirts on the serious side with a manic-depressive mom who is suicidal. The only bright spot in the film is the kid. Marcus has a crush on a girl at school, and despite Will's interest in whether or not the kid wants to get physical, he merely replies that he just wants to talk with her. Nothing else is necessary. Surprised, Will waves it off... but later comes to the same conclusion about Rachel. The kid also pushes honesty in relationships and encourages Will to be truthful with himself.

Will eventually sacrifices his own reputation for the greater good, but this won't be enough redeeming content to send many teens flocking to the theater. In fact, the good pales in the evidence of the bad... sexual content and profane language. Violent content is limited, although bullies torment Marcus at school. He also accidentally (but cruelly) kills a duck at the park by beaning it with a loaf of bread. Language is the next biggest problem, mounting in two f-words along with many British alternatives that mean the same thing; abuse of Jesus, Christ, and God's name is heavy, along with many minor profanities and crudities, including a running gag that involves a song with 'ass' in the title. The most alarming aspect of the hordes of disgusting language is that most pop out of Marcus' mouth. This Boy needs his mouth washed out with soap.

Next comes the sexual content, which is used more in dialogue than anything else. Will is forever making sexually-oriented comments, both in mouth and mind. He looks at a porn site (implied), talks about his anatomy, and one of his girlfriends suggestively straddles and kisses him. The worst moment of the film that should make all of the women in the audience throw their popcorn at this lousy rat is when he's asked to stand as godfather for a little girl. Callously he says that wouldn't be a good idea, since when she eventually turns eighteen he will probably take her out, get her drunk, and possibly sleep with her. What good lessons they have are awash in disgusting content and sadly worldly views of love. About a Boy isn't really about a boy at all... it's more a vision of what our society has become. And it's a sad one.