About a Boy (on DVD)

2002’s About a Boy was made at the peak of author Nick Hornby’s popularity. High Fidelity in 2000 had helped push Hornby into a cult status. About a Boy simply seems to be an extension of High Fidelity, with the same type of sarcastic, cynical, self-centered do-nothinger, and the same character voiceover commenting about his life and state of being. Hugh Grant plays Will, a guy who never has a job or relationship lasting longer than two months and basically lives off royalty of his father’s one hit song, Supersleigh. Grant is completely miscast here. He may be cute, but just not cool. He represents typical dull good-natured British gents, but does not convey the hipness present in most Hornby’s protagonists. Other actors are all fine, but with so little demanded of their roles, they probably could have sleepwalked through their performances. In the end, Will inevitably grows up from a boy to a half man and finds a girl of his dream. Actually there seems to be a perfect match for almost everyone in this movie. It is that kind of down pat film. If you really want to see a Hornby movie, I recommend you to rent High Fidelity and skip this one.