"About a Boy" is an adorable romantic comedy complete with the requisite adorable kid,

though thankfully he's not annoyingly cute. Based on Nick Hornby's popular novel, this film
delivers on all of its promises and then goes that extra mile to totally captivate and amuse
both female and male moviegoers.

If Meg Ryan is the reigning Queen of Romantic Comedies, then Hugh Grant would have to be
considered a strong contender for the King's crown. Hugh Grant is best when he sticks with
roles that let him be a lovable cad - exactly the sort of character offered to him in "About a
Boy." With "About a Boy," Grant delivers another memorable performance, adding to his
already impressive collection of characters audiences have a love/hate relationship with.

Hugh Grant plays Will, a single, do-nothing, rich, self-absorbed cad. His inherited wealth
allows him to plan his day in increments of 30 minutes, with no 30 minute period spent
doing anything more exhausting than paying an exorbitant amount to get his hair skillfully
tousled or changing channels on the remote. He is an island unto himself and loves it that
way, damn it - or so he often proclaims. He doesn't work, has no desire to actually be in a
relationship, and the mere mention of kids propels him into panic/escape mode.

Will's life catapults into uncharted territory when he discovers a brand new world of women
waiting to be conquered - the world of single mothers. Compared to their ex's, Will is a
champion amongst men. After a few unsuccessful attempts at meeting women with children
in grocery stores, he gets the brilliant idea of meeting them at S.P.A.T. (Single Parents,
Alone Together). Inventing a 2 year-old named Ned and swapping sob stories with the other
single parents, Will makes a connection with the beauty of the group, Suzie. Will flashes
that dazzling smile and the next thing you know, Will and Suzie have got a day at the park
planned. Their first date is intruded upon when they are joined at the last minute by
Marcus, the 12 year-old son of Suzie's good friend and fellow S.P.A.T. member, Fiona (Toni
Collette). Fiona's a basketcase who spends her days crying about everything and nothing,
which causes Marcus to need to escape to the relative normalcy of a day at the park - even
if it is with a total stranger and his mom's best friend.
Marcus bonds with Will after an unfortunate accident with a duck and starts making daily
trips to his house after school. Will becomes a sounding board for Marcus, though Will has
absolutely no idea what he has to offer the boy in the way of friendship or fatherly advice.
As Marcus continues his visits without any prompting from Will, Will discovers through
Marcus that his own privileged-but-vacant life could possibly have meaning. Throw in a
romantic connection with the beautiful, intelligent, and interesting single mom, Rachel
(Rachel Weisz), and Will's life quickly transforms into everything he actively fought tooth and
nail from it ever becoming.
It's too bad "About a Boy" is opening on the same weekend as the heavily anticipated "Star
Wars: Episode II" and just two weeks after Sam Raimi's phenomenally successful "Spider-Man."
It may get lost in the shuffle, which would be an absolute shame for moviegoers. Anyone
looking for laughs with just a gentle pull on the old heartstrings won't find anything better
than "About a Boy." Sure, there's a lesson served up in the film, but it's handled with such
finesse and humor that it's easy to swallow.
Overall Grade: A

"About a Boy" is rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some thematic elements.

Directors: Paul & Chris Weitz

Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Robert DeNiro, Brad Epstein, Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner
Executive Producers: Nick Hornby & Lynn Harris
Screenplay By: Peter Hedges and Chris & Paul Weitz
Based on the Novel By: Nick Hornby
Director of Photography: Remi Adefarasin
Production Designer: Jim Clay
Editor: Nick Moore
Costume Designer: Joanna Johnston
Music By: Badly Drawn Boy
Casting: Priscilla John
Art Director: Gary Freeman
Set Decorator: John Bush

Will - Hugh Grant

Marcus - Nicholas Hoult
Rachel - Rachel Weisz
Christine - Sharon Small
Fiona - Toni Collette
Ellie - Nat Gastiain Tena
Suzie - Victoria Smurfit

Photo: ©2002 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

 Guy Ritchie’s 2009 film Sherlock Holmes proved to be a financial success, making an
estimated $524,028,679 worldwide. It was therefore only natural that a sequel would be made.
However, while the general populace found enjoyment from the action-adventure romp, the
essential and characteristic mystery/detective elements of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic
novels were lost in its ‘Hollywoodisation’. Ritchie’s sequel,Sherlock Holmes: A Game of
Shadows, offers more of the action-hero visualisation of the British icon, but suffers from a lack
of solidity and further misplaces the quintessential notions of the source material.

The film follows Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law)
as Europe descends into political chaos after a wave of extremist attacks and assassinations.
They decipher that Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) is central to the conflict, and attempt to
thwart his diabolical schemes. As a sequel, Game of Shadows is more of the same; explosions,
fights and banter. However its plot lacks the substance and charm which its predecessor
marginally established. Instead, it ramps up the action and abandons any thread of engaging and
competent narrative. First and foremost this is an action/adventure film, and to its credit it has
some enjoyable set pieces. Fight choreography is sophisticated and intense, while shootouts are
punchy and immersive. But Ritchie’s story, which is loosely based on the events of Doyle’s
novels ‘The Final Problem’ and ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’, as well as the lacklustre
screenplay both fail to add any context to the domineering warfare. The mysterious and cryptic
elements of the first film and the source material are lost amongst the generic structure, wildly
fluctuating pacing and underwhelming story.

Sherlock Holmes himself comes across more as the Bond/superhero character rather than
the Bohemian forensic detective. The symbolic dispassionate, arrogant personality and his
powers of deduction are portrayed through Downey Jr.’s over-the-top performance and the
shallow screenplay. But his perfect ability to predict the unpredictable in a ‘spidey-sense’
manner is undeniably inane. The screenplay also tamely constructs the essential relationship
between Holmes and Watson, unfortunately never progressing from witty banter. These flaws
linger into the majority of the film’s dialogue, resulting in either futile back-and-forth
wisecracking or monotonous monologues that conveniently churn out exposition.

The performances themselves are competent but nothing spectacular. Robert Downey Jr.
continues his quirky, exuberant character that would spontaneously combust if he were to stand
still. His shaky accent and maniac behaviour persist in the contemporary vision of Doyle’s
creation and is still entertaining in small doses. Jude Law remains restrained and likeable, but
Jared Harris’s Moriarty never captures the mysterious and sinister character of Holmes’ primary
antagonist, becoming more of a throwaway villain. The final showdown manages to eventually
convey the mental sparring between the two intellects, but bewilderingly whittles down to a
confusing ‘psychic’ duel and an immensely sub-standard climax. Harris doesn’t impress nor
offend, but a better script would definitely have resolved this issue. The incessantly irritating
Stephen Fry makes a pointless appearance as Holmes’ brother Mycroft, and ironically highlights
the mysterious lack of Britishness in Downey Jr.’s Holmes. Meanwhile the frivolous inclusion of
Noomi Rapace as leading lady Sim, lacks character development and more importantly,
contextual purpose. She’s merely a plot device to move the film along and as a result her
storyline peters out in the film’s finale.

Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot returns and consequently so too does the grey and
gritty colour palette. The lack of lighting manages to capture the gloomy setting of late
nineteenth century London, but when Paris, Switzerland and Germany are all devoid of visual
atmosphere, everything starts to look the same. Meanwhile the use of head-tracking camera
shots, CSI-esque “deductions” and slow-motion, while they looked impressive the first time,
restlessly grace the screen at every opportunity. Action set-pieces are edited and cut far too
quickly and shot too intimately to do justice to the well-calculated sequences. The production
values are there, but aren’t employed constructively or measuredly.

Overall, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows will please those who loved the first
installment. Explosions and shootouts provide mild enjoyment, but when the whole experience is
tainted by a uninspired narrative and a lack of depth, it becomes short-lived and tedious.