Grant plays Will Freeman, a self-centered, self-confesed player who lives off the royalties of his fathers one hit wonder 'Santa's Super Sleigh' and who seems to have no ambition apart from remaining aloof and unconnected from the world. Grant plays him wonderfully, easily charming you while convincing you that the man really is a big jerk. But he's not really, and the subtle transformation that takes place is handled extremely well by actor and director alike, achieving real poignancy with both the small realizations and the big break throughs. The man's personality doesn't change though, it's more like he's finally opening up, like a tulip in the dawn, rather then changing his colours and becoming something totally different. A credit to the skill with which this character is handled.
Counterpoint to Will is the 10 yr old Marcus, played by Nicholas Hoult. Marcus, only child of a single mother hippie, is of the daydreamer sort who sings aloud in class without realizing it and still says I love you to his mom at school even though he knows he's going to get heckled for it. But Marcus is bullied constantly at school, so much so even the other geeks have to reject him. Not only this but Marcus has to watch as his mother comes apart at the seams, peaking when he comes home one day to find his mother in the midst of a suicide attempt. So Marcus turns to Will as a sort of escape from his own life, but Will is dubious and only through sincerity and tenacity does he finally break into Will's cherished fortress of solitude.
These are not the only two relationships the movie explores though, an good supporting cast helps us to explore the main characters without letting us forget that they have a life of their own.
Despite all the personal discovery and touching moments, About A boy is foremost a comedy and never forgets to make you laugh, and quite often at that. The fact that you care about these people makes the laughs all the more heartfelt, and you leave the theatre feeling that the world really is a wonderful place.
A great soundtrack, great script (Based on Nicholas Hornby's novel), skilled directions (the guys who did Amarican Pie oddly enough) and rich acting have left us with a great movie I would actually like to see again.