Synopsis: Based on Nick Hornby's popular British novel, About A Boy is a comedy-drama starring Hugh Grant as Will, a rich, child-free and irresponsible Londoner in his thirties who, in search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. As a result of one of his liaisons, he meets Marcus, an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, Will and Marcus become friends, and as Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid, Marcus helps Will to finally grow up.

Now for the Zone's Eye View:

By Laura Alber

Director: Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz

Cast:Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Weisz, Sharon Small

"About a Boy" will most definitely make the list for one of the best comedies of the year. Hugh Grant has secured his standing as a bankable "laugh-getter" for sure. The film's writing and directing deserve the loudest applause though. Brothers Paul and Chris Weitz ("American Pie") piece everything together beautifully, creating an ingenious comedic and honest film. 

Hugh Grant plays our favorite "cad". He doesn't work, he lives off royalties from a Christmas song his father wrote. All Will (Grant) does is fill his days with "units" such as, an hour of television = one unit, haircut = two units, you get the idea! Will's favorite "unit" however, is finding and conquering women. After many many dates with various women, he realizes that they all want commitments. Then a magical thing stares him in the face: a flyer for a single parents group. After attending a meeting (and pretending to have a child of his own), he finds out that these women think he is a wonderful person for raising a son on his own and also that these women aren't looking for a long term relationship. BINGO! 

He decides to ask out one of the women from the group, Susie (Victoria Smurfit) who has an infant. After planning a date for a picnic in the park, Susie brings along her best friend Fiona's (Tony Collette) 12 year old son Marcus (Nicholas Hoult). Fiona suffers from extreme depression and Susie thought she'd take Marcus off her hands for the day. Bad move considering Fiona tried to commit suicide while they were gone! All of this sets up the main plot where Marcus becomes attached to Will and they become inseparable. One reason being, Will is like a father figure/friend type for Marcus who has no friends, and also because Marcus found out Will lied about having a son and threatened to tell if Will didn't let him hang out. Marcus also can't help but hope that maybe Will, will like his mother and she would get better. That is, until Will meets Rachel (Rachel Weisz). He is completely enamored with her. Once again the problem arises that he supposedly has a son. Who better to help out than his "new best friend". 

This entire film is filled with hilarious anecdotes, captivating performances, on the money dialogue and all the characters are able to portray incredible emotional depth. Each character is developed in such a way that you feel like you know each one of them. Grant does his "gotta love him" voice-overs throughout the film in a stylish manner and with such effortless charm and humor. "About a Boy" is definitely worth seeing and highly recommended by this reviewer. The Zone rates "About a Boy" a 7.5 out of 10. 

The disc is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and is a great transfer. Sound is a Dolby Digital 5.1. The dialogue and the score are both wonderfully presented with surround sound benefits.


DVD Extras:

-A nice new screen-specific audio commentary by directors Paul and Chris Weitz. At first they pledge to be "intellectual," but can't help but be funny and light by ten minutes in. Fans of the writing will be pleased with the depth that the directors go into about the change required for the adaptation. A good supplement to watch. 

-The Making of About a Boy. Running about 11 minutes, we get interviews with the Weitz Brothers, Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult and author Nick Hornby. Not a very good extra considering they fit all these people in an 11 minute supplement, but still worth a look. 

-7 deleted scenes, totaling 14 minutes and presented in non-anamorphic widescreen: "Marcus and Fiona," "Motivational Exercise," "Will Goes Shopping," "Planet Hollywood," "Apartment Tour," and "Rachel Visits Will." These can viewed with the "play all" option, or separately, and with or without commentary is also an option. All very funny scenes, just like the movie itself. 

-A 3-minute English to English Dictionary. Yes, now you too can speak with that British slang we all love! A very funny three minutes!! Also included are two music videos by Badly Drawn Boy, "Something to Talk About" and "Silent Sigh." 

-Production Notes, filmographies for the main cast and crew, and the film's theatrical trailer in anamorphic widescreen. There's also about six other trailers included for such flicks as the Grant starrer "Notting Hill" and the upcoming "Johnny English".