david is the one that loves about a boy the most. it is one of his comfort films, and i have seen it so often that it has taken residence in my heart, as well. it is my favourite hugh grant role. he is will, and i see a bit of high fidelity's rob (the book version) in his portrayel of will, as well. i love some of the moments in this, the way the filmmaker captured some of the most vivid of images from the book and brought them to life on-screen. for instance, will and his mum closing their eyes while they sing roberta flack. it was just so perfectly done. will picking out the car seat, and smashing up chips in it, is classic, too.
i remember reading nick hornby's about a boy on my trips back and forth on the traxx train, when we lived in salt lake city. i fell in love with it, and especially with marcus. i love marcus. and his relationship with his mum, with will, and with ellie. i suppose the lack of story with the character of ellie, and the friendship her and marcus ended up having, is the only thing that i miss when watching the film. beyond that, though, i think this is an exception to the rule where a film is as good as the book. nick hornby, actually, has been quite lucky in this regard.
relationships are the key to this story, and i love the way it pulls back the surfaces of expectations and personalities, challenging how we relate and learn from one another. i love that it shows the intricate nature of mother and child, of friendship, and of love. that it shows an imperfect family, and mistakes made as a parent, that ultimately happen but that can be repaired. and, i really love the message that we need to find our family-extensions, or support systems, because we do need one another to do more than just get by.
about a boy
Son Lux raises Lanterns on tour
11 years ago
i confess, the germinal hugh grant film for me remains 4 weddings and a funeral....not that he's my fave character in it (not by a long shot) but because that whole movie nestles inside me and makes me happy....something about the web of relationships in it i think, the way they're all tied together through love and friendship and (yes) frustration with each other's foibles...it feels real to me =)
ReplyDeleteThis post inspired me to buy "About a Boy" today. I had forgotten how much I love this movie.
ReplyDeleteWhen Marcus is standing on stage at the end, his bravery made me cry.
Thank you.
I love that film. I read the book after seeing the film, so I wonder what I would have thought about it had I read the book first. While the whole ending is completely different, I don't think the ending of the book would have made for good film. I really like both.
ReplyDeleteandrea: i think the ending of the film worked, actually. and, as you noted, i think it was more cinematic then the end of the novel would have been.
ReplyDeletemy only wish was that ellie's character, and her frienship with marcus, had been expanded. all in all, though, i love both equally.
kateherself: that made my day that you went out and got a copy of the film. and yes, his bravery on stage is so amazing, and heartbreaking, all at once. i wish i had his bravery.
ReplyDeletejenn: can you believe i have never seen four weddings and a funeral?
ReplyDeleteI agree. She was a much bigger character in the book than in the movie. I did like the movie's ending, though. I'm not sure which ending I prefer. I think they both work.
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