On my roommate's recommendation, I got a hold of this film and watched it on a night where I hadn't a whole lot to do otherwise. And... it wasn't bad.
When I saw Hugh Grant on the cover, I was a bit skeptical that I would be wandering into another romantic comedy. But then I saw that it was based on a novel by Nick Hornby, who wrote the novel High Fidelity, upon which the movie by the same name is based and I liked High Fidelity plenty, especially considering that it's a romantic comedy. So I let down my guard.
And I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't just another run-of-the-mill story, but rather, it was about... a boy. And a man. Or is the man a boy? No science fiction here, it's just a story about a older man learning what it means to be a human being through an expected mentor/friend relationship with a kid 1/3 his age. The characters are interesting and developed, even if the story is as clear as plastic wrap and the plotting obvious. But I like the story anyway, even if during the film, I still had doubts now and again.
I did have one little qualm with the film, and that is that it's directed like every mainstream British comedy that I've seen, complete with the sad-montage sequence with some pop tune coursing through the film. But at least the characters were so well done, it didn't bother me too much that the film didn't really have much of a personality, at least artistically.
So, it's essentially, a nice very straightforward story, with well developed characters and a very predictable (almost boring) style. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night alone. Or with the people you love. 7/10.
When I saw Hugh Grant on the cover, I was a bit skeptical that I would be wandering into another romantic comedy. But then I saw that it was based on a novel by Nick Hornby, who wrote the novel High Fidelity, upon which the movie by the same name is based and I liked High Fidelity plenty, especially considering that it's a romantic comedy. So I let down my guard.
And I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't just another run-of-the-mill story, but rather, it was about... a boy. And a man. Or is the man a boy? No science fiction here, it's just a story about a older man learning what it means to be a human being through an expected mentor/friend relationship with a kid 1/3 his age. The characters are interesting and developed, even if the story is as clear as plastic wrap and the plotting obvious. But I like the story anyway, even if during the film, I still had doubts now and again.
I did have one little qualm with the film, and that is that it's directed like every mainstream British comedy that I've seen, complete with the sad-montage sequence with some pop tune coursing through the film. But at least the characters were so well done, it didn't bother me too much that the film didn't really have much of a personality, at least artistically.
So, it's essentially, a nice very straightforward story, with well developed characters and a very predictable (almost boring) style. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night alone. Or with the people you love. 7/10.