Driving by his deep fear of being responsibility, Marcus, a young ambitious but miserable man, who does his best and struggles against staying away of responsibility, so he only searches for single mothers, but when he befriends a 12 years old guy, everything changes, as he learns valuable lessons in life and friendship.
The directors Paul and Chris Weitz -- the American Pie brothers -- have tried hard not to make a tearjerker, and at its best the movie is knowing and tart.
Total Film
February 10, 2014
This is a pleasingly skewed Britcom that can be watched with mates or the other half. And, boy, is it funny.
About a Boy is better than a feelgood movie, it's a feelgreat movie -- genuinely clever, affecting when you least expect it to be and funny from start to finish.
Hugh Grant hilariously redefines the word "playboy" in the first half of this film, then gets human, without losing his comic edge, under the influence of the title waif.
Grant's puckishness has become overly packaged; what's new about him here is his spiky hairdo. This movie is built on an actor as well as a character who is too intent to be on his best behavior.