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About a Boy ()


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Will, who attends single parent meetings to woo women, meets Marcus, a troubled 12-year-old boy. As they become friends, Will learns to be responsible while he helps Marcus with his studies.

Directors:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 29 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

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Cast verified as complete

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Will Freeman
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Marcus Brewer
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Christine
Madison Cook ...
Imogen
Jordan Cook ...
Imogen
Nicholas Hutchison ...
John
Ryan Speechley ...
Barney
Joseph Speechley ...
Barney
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Fiona Brewer
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Ellie (as Nat Gastiain Tena)
Laura Kennington ...
Ellie's Friend
Tanika Swaby ...
Ellie's Friend
Peter McNicholl ...
Ellie's Friend
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Ellie's Friend (as Christopher Webster)
Ben Ridgeway ...
Lee
Jack Warren ...
Lee's Sidekick
Russell Barr ...
Maitre D'
Isabel Brook ...
Angie
Orlando Thor Newman ...
Angie's Kid
Paulette P. Williams ...
Bitter Ex-Girlfriend (as Paulette Williams)
Fritha Goodey ...
Bitter Ex-Girlfriend
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Bitter Ex-Girlfriend
Delma Walsh ...
Bitter Ex-Girlfriend
Jonathan Franklin ...
Mark
John Kamal ...
Nicky
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Class Teacher
Lorna Dallison ...
Woman in Supermarket
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Child in Supermarket
Bruce Lawrence ...
Husband in Supermarket (as Bruce Alexander)
Joyce Henderson ...
Moira / SPAT
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Frances / SPAT
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Caroline / SPAT
Sue Hyams ...
SPAT Woman
Maggie De Monde ...
SPAT Woman (as Maggie Kahal)
Lynn Askew ...
SPAT Woman
Beverly Milward ...
SPAT Woman
Danielle Harvey ...
SPAT Woman
Anna Maria Credenzone Philip ...
SPAT Woman
Sarah King ...
SPAT Woman
Susan Ghamsary ...
SPAT Woman
Edna Johnson ...
SPAT Woman
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Suzie
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Mothercare Shop Assistant
Buddy Hunter ...
Family Member in Mothercare Car Park
Kristine Perrin ...
Family Member in Mothercare Car Park
Nathan Perrin-Hunter ...
Family Member in Mothercare Car Park
Rachael Perrin-Hunter ...
Family Member in Mothercare Car Park
Amy Craven ...
Suzie's Baby Megan
Rebecca Craven ...
Suzie's Baby Megan
Sidney Livingstone ...
Park Keeper
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Nurse
Joanne Petitt ...
Hairdresser
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Amnesty International Worker Tom
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Amnesty International Worker
Matt Wilkinson ...
Amnesty International Worker
Peter Roy ...
Will's Dad
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Candy Thrower (as Matthew Thomas)
Aaron Keeling ...
Candy Thrower
Scott Charles ...
Candy Thrower
Claire Harman ...
Skechers Shopgirl
Sian Martin ...
Cute Waitress
Mark Drewry ...
Clive
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Lindsey
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Lindsey's Mum
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Rachel
Murray Lachlan Young ...
New Year's Eve Party Guest
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Ali
Alex Kew ...
Simon Cosgrove
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Math Teacher
Sunanda Biswas ...
Def Penalty Kru
James Marshall-Gunn ...
Def Penalty Kru
Jamie Mayer ...
Def Penalty Kru
Korede Obashju ...
Def Penalty Kru
Roger Brierley ...
Mr. Chalmers, the M.C.
Stefan Pejic ...
Apple Thrower
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Allan ...
Tribute Band Member (uncredited)
Macéo Bhardwaj ...
School Boy (uncredited)
Gillian Evans ...
Self - Lexicographer (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Simon Faulkner ...
Walker in Park (uncredited)
Nia Jermin ...
School Girl (uncredited)
Charlotte Magee ...
School Student (uncredited)
...
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
...
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Mark Topps ...
Schoolboy (uncredited)
...
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
...
Father (uncredited)
Richard Whiteley ...
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Stuart Wood ...
Self (uncredited)

Directed by

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Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz

Written by

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Nick Hornby ... (novel)
 
Peter Hedges ... (screenplay) and
Chris Weitz ... (screenplay) &
Paul Weitz ... (screenplay)

Produced by

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Nicky Kentish Barnes ... co-producer
Tim Bevan ... producer
Liza Chasin ... co-producer
Robert De Niro ... producer
Brad Epstein ... producer
Eric Fellner ... producer
Lynn Harris ... executive producer
Debra Hayward ... co-producer
Nick Hornby ... executive producer
Hardy Justice ... co-producer
Jane Rosenthal ... producer

Music by

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Badly Drawn Boy

Cinematography by

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Remi Adefarasin ... director of photography

Editing by

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Nick Moore

Editorial Department

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Julian Andraus ... second assistant editor
Paul Clegg ... second assistant editor
Simon Cozens ... first assistant editor
Mike Fraser ... dailies telecine (as Mike Frasers)
Tania Goding ... assistant editor: avid, UK (as Tania Clarke)
Mike Jackson ... first assistant editor
Sara Lineberger ... post-production coordinator
Jim Passon ... color timer
Theresa Repola Mohammed ... negative cutter
Brock Stoneham ... apprentice editor
David Wheal ... editing department trainee

Casting By

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Priscilla John

Production Design by

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Jim Clay

Art Direction by

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Gary Freeman
Rod McLean ... supervising art director

Set Decoration by

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John Bush

Costume Design by

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Joanna Johnston

Makeup Department

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Carmel Jackson ... makeup artist
Graham Johnston ... hair designer / makeup designer
Lorna McGowan ... makeup artist
Laura McIntosh ... makeup artist
Nora Robertson ... makeup artist
Katya Thomas ... makeup artist: Ms. Weisz

Production Management

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Bernard Bellew ... production manager
Virginia Landis Albertson ... post-production supervisor
Graham Stumpf ... post-production supervisor
Lucy Williams ... unit manager
Michelle Wright ... executive in charge of production: Working Title Films

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Ben Howarth ... second assistant director
Christopher Newman ... first assistant director (as Chris Newman)
Alex Oakley ... third assistant director
Alex Kaye-Besley ... additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Harry Alley ... painter
Joe Alley ... carpenter (as Joseph Alley)
Barry Arnold ... stand-by props
Roy Biggs ... stagehand
John Bohan ... construction manager
John Botton ... dressing props
Darryl Carter ... carpenter (as Daryl Carter)
Roy Chapman ... chargehand dressing props
John Cloke ... stand-by painter
Paul Duff ... stand-by carpenter
Peter Duffy ... carpenter
Jools Faiers ... art department graphics (as Jules Faiers)
Michael Finlay ... scenic painter
Heidi Gibb ... draughtsman
Barry Gibbs ... property master
Nick Goodall ... carpenter (as Nicholas Goodall)
Gavin Gordon ... carpenter
David Haberfield ... scenic painter
Rosie Hardwick ... assistant art director
Bill Hargreaves ... chargehand stand-by props
Robert Harper ... painter
Nigel Hughes ... scenic artist
James Hunt ... scenic artist
David Jones ... supervising stagehand
Eamon McLoughlin ... head carpenter
Steve Mitchell ... supervising scenic artist
Harriet Orman ... production buyer
Darryl Paterson ... storeman
Chris Seddon ... drapes
Len Serpant ... stand-by stagehand
Michael Standish ... production buyer (as Mike Standish)
Jeff Sullivan ... painter
Richard F. Ward III ... art department assistant (as Richard Ward)
Clive Ward ... head painter
Stephen Weston ... wood machinist
Kevin Wheeler ... dressing props
David Williamson ... stand-by carpenter
Robert Wishart ... chargehand carpenter
Lee Biggs ... carpenter (uncredited)
Terry Heggarty ... painter (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Jaya Bishop ... boom operator
Christian Bourne ... sound assistant
Chris Carpenter ... re-recording mixer
Colin Cooper ... adr recordist
Norval D. Crutcher III ... adr editor (as Norval Crutcher III)
Tony Dawe ... production sound mixer
Gary S. Gerlich ... sound editor (as Gary Gerlich)
Lee Gilmore ... apprentice sound editor
Marilyn Graf ... foley editor
William Hooper ... sound editor
Andy Koyama ... re-recording mixer
Richard LeGrand Jr. ... supervising sound editor
Jaime Lunn ... mix assistant engineer
Bob McNabb ... adr supervisor (as Robert McNabb)
Bill Meadows ... sound recordist
Patrick O'Sullivan ... sound editor
Bryan Pennington ... sound consultant: Dolby
Philip Rogers ... adr recordist
Walter Spencer ... dialogue editor
Ted Swanscott ... adr mixer
Samuel Webb ... assistant sound editor
James Ashwill ... foley mixer (uncredited)
Joe DeAngelis ... sound recordist (uncredited)
Nerses Gezalyan ... foley recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by

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Derek Ledbetter ... visual effects (uncredited)
Paul Springer ... rotoscope artist (uncredited)

Stunts

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Graeme Crowther ... stunt coordinator (as Graham Crowther)

Camera and Electrical Department

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John Adefarasin ... camera loader
Rene Adefarasin ... camera loader
John Arnold ... key grip
Sam Barnes ... camera loader
Keziah Barton-White ... video assistant
Stuart Bunting ... grip
David Cozens ... focus puller
Andy Edridge ... grip
Ian Franklin ... best boy
Charlie Grainger ... camera trainee
Peter Hawkins ... h.o.d. rigger
Dennis Holiday ... rigging electrician
Jamie Mills ... electrician
Barrie More ... rigging gaffer
Dave Moss ... electrician (as David Moss)
Jay Jay Odedra ... focus puller
Peter Robertson ... camera operator: "a" camera / steadicam operator
Laurie Sparham ... still photographer
Tammo van Hoorn ... focus puller (as Tammo Van Hoorn)
David Wall ... rigging electrician (as David 'Jim' Wall)
Chris Warren ... video assist operator
Jimmy Wilson ... gaffer
Danny Young ... generator operator
Sean Young ... stand-by rigger
Ben Battersby ... additional clapper loader (uncredited)
Philip Coleman ... second grip (uncredited)
Nick Remy Matthews ... video assistant: dailies (uncredited)
Andy Thomson ... crane operator (uncredited)
Ben Wilson ... electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Vanessa Baker ... adr voice casting
Laura Dickens ... casting assistant
Brendan Donnison ... adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Devina Artley ... costume department runner
Martin Chitty ... costume assistant
Louise Egan ... costume assistant
Claire Finlay-Thompson ... costume supervisor (as Claire Finlay)
Helen O'Donnell ... key set costumer (as Helen Mattocks)
Guy Speranza ... assistant costume designer

Location Management

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Philip Clark ... location scout
Kevin Early ... location assistant
Louise Fernandez ... location scout
Steve Hart ... location manager
David Pinnington ... location supervisor

Music Department

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Nick Angel ... music supervisor
Badly Drawn Boy ... music producer
Andy Brown ... orchestra contractor
The Cambridge Singers ... musician
Paul Englishby ... on-set music advisor
Charles Martin Inouye ... supervising music editor
Stephen McLaughlin ... music producer (as Steve McLaughlin) / score mixer (as Steve McLauglin)
Kathy Nelson ... executive in charge of film music: Universal Studios
Tom Rothrock ... music producer
Patrick Seymour ... conductor / music arranger
Geoff Foster ... score recordist (uncredited)
Rene Garza Aldape ... music editor (uncredited)
Alexandra Hill ... music assistant (uncredited)
Jake Jackson ... score engineer (uncredited)
Kirsten Lane ... music consultant (uncredited)
Jonathan Sacks ... orchestrator (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Nikki Clapp ... script supervisor
Ruth Halliday ... script clearance

Transportation Department

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Jimmy Batchelor ... driver: minibus
Steve Boyd ... facility driver
Alan Burrows ... driver: stand-by prop
Andy Cooper ... driver: camera truck
Peter Devlin ... unit driver
Ian Drinkwater ... driver: minibus
Eric Francks ... unit driver
Peter Gathard ... facility driver
Gordon Hampton ... facility driver
Ian Johnson ... driver: construction run around
Townsley Knott ... transport facilities (as Townley Knott)
Steve Mangar ... facility driver
Ron Narduzzo ... unit driver (as Ronald Narduzzo)
Graham Pamment ... driver: makeup truck
Terry Reece ... unit driver
Tony Smith ... facility driver
Colin Thompson ... facility driver
John Tiny Topping ... driver: dining bus (as Tiny Topping)
Jason Vanezis ... unit driver
Michael Ward ... driver: costume department (as Mike Ward)
Willies Wheels ... facility driver: location
Mark White ... transportation
Nigel Williamson ... driver: props
Kim Worley ... driver: makeup truck
Peter Devlin ... transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Vicki Allen ... floor runner
Kellie Belle ... product placement manager
Paul Cafferty ... post-production accountant: US, R.C. Baral & Company, Inc
Richard Cain ... UK liaison to the Weitz Brothers
Neil Chaplin ... production accountant
James Chasey ... stand-in: Mr. Grant
Jo McLaren Clark ... craft service: Natural Addition
Manuela Cripps ... assistant production coordinator
Sara Curran ... head of legal and business affairs: Working Title Films
Wayne Docksey ... animal handler: fish
Matt Eddy ... production executive: Weitz Brothers
Paul Englishby ... guitar teacher
Andrew Francis Fenady ... executive in charge of production
Steve Fletcher ... tutor
Mike Fraser ... rushes transfer
Michael Gaster ... set intern
Shefali Ghosh ... chief financial officer: Working Title Films
Pauline Gill ... stand-in: Toni Collette
Tom Glaisyer ... runner (as Tony Glaisyer)
Tarn Harper ... post-production accountant
Glenis Hoult ... chaperone
Paul Jackson ... health and safety
Aliza James ... assistant: Eric Fellner, Working Title Films
Michael Johnstone ... craft service: Natural Addition
Ann Lynch ... production coordinator
Meghan Lyvers ... assistant: Jane Rosenthal
Stacy Mann ... unit publicist
Jill McCullough ... voice and dialogue coach
Callum Metcalfe ... assistant: Tim Bevan, Working Title Films
Paul Monaghan ... production runner
Angela Morrison ... chief operating officer: Working Title Films
Rob Nash ... piano teacher
Caroline Oxley-Mcleod ... nurse
Joy Pollard ... tutor
Samar Pollitt ... runner (as Sam Pollit)
Jason Potter ... accounts assistant
Albert G. Ruben ... insurance: AON
Renee Ryel ... post-production accountant: US, R.C. Baral & Company, Inc.
Sheeraz Shah ... vice president legal and business affairs: Working Title Films
Emma Short ... assistant accountant
Jack Steed ... stand-in: Nicholas Hoult
Emily Stewart ... production assistant: Working Title Films
Dathi Sveinbjarnarson ... floor runner
Katharine Tidy ... food stylist
Lucy Wainwright ... legal advisor: Working Title Films
Polly Wilby ... assistant post-production accountant
Sara Woodhatch ... assistant: Hugh Grant
Sarah Jane Wright ... production executive: Working Title Films (as Sarah-Jane Wright)
Daniel Bielawski ... projectionist (uncredited)
Patrick Corcoran ... executive assistant: Allison Shearmur (uncredited)
Robin Demetriou ... catering supervisor (uncredited)
Christina Mallet ... runner (uncredited)

Thanks

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Neil Barrett ... thanks
John Richmond ... thanks
Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Twelve year old Marcus Brewer lives with his chronically depressed single mother, Fiona Brewer. Both Fiona and Marcus beat to their own respective drummers. Marcus will do whatever he can to make his depressed mother happy, even if it causes himself grief. As such, he realizes that he is perceived as different than most kids, as even the self-professed weird kids don't want to hang out with him as he is the target of bullying. Part of the taunts against him are the fact that he sings and speaks to himself without even realizing that he is doing it. Meanwhile, thirty-eight year old Will Freeman is a slacker who has lived comfortably off the royalties of a song written by his deceased father, and as such has never had to work a day in his life. He is a solitary man who places himself as the first and only priority in life. He comes across the idea that dating single moms meets his selfish carnal needs. It is in this capacity that Will meets Marcus, as one of Will's single mother conquests, Suzie, is friends with the Brewers. Trying to escape his life but wanting Will to date Fiona, Marcus infiltrates Will's life, much to Will's chagrin. Will slowly begins to realize that Marcus is more than just a nuisance, but rather someone who needs some guidance navigating through the trials of adolescence and the trials of dealing with a suicidal mother, and perhaps he can be a small part of providing that direction. Conversely, Marcus may be able to show Will the path to becoming a real adult. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines Growing up has nothing to do with age. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Pour un garçon (France)
  • About a Boy oder: Der Tag der toten Ente (Germany)
  • Un nen gran (Spain, Catalan title)
  • Un niño grande (Spain)
  • 关于一个男孩 (China, Mandarin title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 101 min
Official Sites
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $30,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend United Kingdom GBP3,747,966, 28 Apr 2002
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $130,549,455

Did You Know?

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Trivia The shot of Will reflected in the mirror when he is depressed was actually taken when Hugh Grant was taking a break. The directors noticed him doing this and from behind he looked depressed, so they shot it without him knowing. See more »
Goofs The box of the Sony Walkman CD player that Will gives to Marcus can be seen on the coffee table before Marcus has unwrapped it. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The Best Films of 2002 (2003). See more »
Soundtracks Something To Talk About See more »
Quotes Christine: You will end up childless and alone.
Will: Well, fingers crossed, yeah.
See more »

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