About a Boy

Much of the charm of this movie rests with the charm of the two leads, but it's interesting to see how a US writer/director duo, Chris and Paul Weitz, tackle a very English project, adapting a very English novel, especially when their previous movie is so different to this one. How does it look on paper? The script is a gloriously fluid read, keeping two Points of View nicely in balance and making very clever use of Voice Over from two rather unreliable narrators - and in the present tense. In their introduction, the writers talk about changing the ending (of the book) and this is perhaps its weakness. The school concert is a bit creaky contrivance and goes on too long and the formation of a new 'family' at the close stretches credibility, but up to that point, this script is insightful, affectionate and a lot of fun.