The book is an excellent read, while more extensive in its story elements and structure, it is funny, moving and compelling. The movie is also very, very good. I personally would have liked the first half of the movie especially to have slowed down a tad, some of it felt rushed and skimmed through. And while it is not as extensive or quite as developed as the book, it is every bit, if not more so, as funny, moving and as compelling. The whole movie is beautifully filmed, the soundtrack is beguiling, the excellent is suitably adroit and the script is funny, sharp and witty. And the more poignant scenes were genuinely so. The whole cast give sterling performances, Hugh Grant is on excellent form, and Nicholas Hoult is very believable as the troubled boy. Sharon Small, Toni Collette and Rachel Weisz also are solid. All in all, a very good film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) thinks of himself as a self-sufficient island. He doesn't need any connections or dependents. He's never worked a real job in his life, living off the royalties of his father one big hit song. After a setup by his sister, he finds that single moms make for the best dating potential. Marcus Brewer (Nicholas Hoult) is a freakish outcast at his school, and his mother is suicidal. Will and Marcus are brought together by a lie and a single parent help group.

Based on a Nick Hornby novel, it is a comedy about a man growing up helping a boy and his fears. It is a witty film about family and friendship. Most of all, it's about love and the need for human connections. The characters are well drawn. Importantly, Hugh Grant is at the top of his game, and there is a great newcomer in Nicholas Hoult.

As another reviewer stated, Hugh Grant is quite funny here. And Rachel Weisz is beautiful and inspiring as always too. But the principal story line didn't really work for me, as it was/is supposed to. While it's obvious that the movie has a boy in it (clue is in the title),it also is clear, that this boy will affect our main character (nothing that hasn't happened in other movies before or will happen in feature movies with a similar story).

While a more recent effort has Dwayne Johnson (aka the Rock) in a similar role, this effort with Hugh Grant, tries to stay more/closer to reality. While some might find this very attractive, some others would've loved it to be more comedic. I personally thought, that it wasn't funny enough, but actually liked the first steps. Not trying to fit the bill, trying to escape the blue-print of this movies. Unfortunately in my eyes it isn't really good, but not bad either. Just a nice movie