About a Boy

directed by Chris and Paul Weitz
Category: "Comedy"
Year of Release:2002
Date Added:04/03/2008
Date Watched:03/04/2008
Description:A self-absorbed man learns lessons about life and relationships from a young boy who latches onto him.
My Rating:8

Reviews for About a Boy

Review - About a Boy

Will is a selfish mid-thirties Londoner living off his dad’s royalties. He discovers that single moms are an easy catch, so he makes up a two-year-old son and begins dating. One of his dates is caring for Marcus, a pathetic 12-year-old who lives with his even-more-pathetic mother, Fiona. When Fiona attempts suicide, Marcus decides to hang around with Will so he won’t be alone if his mother tries again. Will is reluctant at first, but soon accepts Marcus showing up at his door every day after school. Then Will meets Rachel and falls for her. He is embarrassed by his lack-of-life, so he tells Rachel that Marcus is his son. When he is forced to admit the truth, their relationship ends. Marcus tells Will that Fiona is acting strangely again. Will decides he can no longer be selfish — the only thing that matters to him in life is Marcus and Fiona matters to Marcus. He rushes off to see Fiona, and she tells him that Marcus has signed up to sing at school. Will realizes Marcus will make a fool of himself. He rushes to the school and joins Marcus on the stage, making a bigger fool of himself to distract attention from Marcus. It works. Rachel is in the audience and sees what he does. At the end of the movie, Will and Rachel are engaged, Fiona is doing OK, and all of them are together for Christmas. The moral is that everyone needs others.

Unfortunately, the language in this movie is over the line, but the lesson of the movie is great and it's hilariously funny, to boot.

Best line: You're not a bad mother. You're just a barking lunatic.
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