Move Dude: Hugh Grant is not himself as he learns no man’s an island

Will (Hugh Grant), left, is set in his lifestyle when he meets outcast Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) in "About a Boy"

When you live a certain way for a certain amount of time you get in the frame of mind that that’s simply the way things are. If you do something long enough, as far as you know, that’s how things will continue to be.

Unless you change it. But most of us are stubborn and set in our ways. So if we do alter our lives, it’s usually not on our own, but with the help of another. That’s sort of what “About A Boy” is all about. Changes.

Will (Hugh Grant) lives off the royalties of a Christmas song his late father wrote back in the ’50s. It allows him a lifestyle where he doesn’t have to work, only buy whatever he wants and watch TV all day.

You’ve heard the expression, “No man is an island”? Well, Will believes everyone should be an island, especially in today’s world of personal luxury. He’s stuck to that philosophy so well he’s successfully isolated himself from anything resembling emotion whatsoever.

Then we have Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), a young teenager who lives with his single, emotionally disturbed mother (Toni Collette). He’s somewhat of an island, too, only he doesn’t want to be. He wants to have friends, a social life, but he’s a tad eccentric and is considered the outcast at school.

The two meet when Will dates a friend of Marcus’ family. Marcus takes a liking to him, but Will thinks he’s essentially a weirdo, much like everyone else does.

Things come to a head for Marcus when he comes home one afternoon and finds his mother half dead after trying to commit suicide.

On a whim, Marcus decides to call Will, asking him to take both him and his mom out to lunch. Will really wants nothing to do with it, but decides to indulge him.

If Will were to have his way things would’ve ended there; but Marcus is persistent and soon after the two of them begin hanging out. And wouldn’t you know, Will, albeit stubbornly, decides he likes having people in his life.

“About A Boy” isn’t a straight-up comedy. But while it deals with some pretty heavy subject matter, like the aforementioned suicide attempt, it’s a positive movie overall.

Hugh Grant does a great job of not playing the bumbling, aloof type he’s known for. This isn’t cookies ’n’ cream Hugh, this is Hugh for people who find cookies ’n’ cream to be nauseating.

So do yourself a favor, leave your island behind and check out “About A Boy.”

The Movie Dude is Joe Altomere of Fort Myers. He owns close to 2,000 DVDs and Blu-ray discs. E-mail him at jaltomere@yahoo.com.

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