The new comedy from American Pie creators Chris and Paul Weitz, About A Boy, is a true gem. Smartly written, nicely directed and featuring a career-best performance by its lead, Hugh Grant, Boy is a smart, winning comedy that is one of the most enjoyable films of 2002 so far.

Based on Nick Hornby (High Fidelity)'s popular British novel, Boy is about Will (Hugh Grant). He's a rich, childfree and irresponsible Londoner in his late thirties who, on a continuing search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. As a result of one of his liaisons, he meets Marcus (newcomer Nicholas Hoult), an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, Will and Marcus become friends, and as Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid, Marcus helps Will to finally grow up.

The film is one of those happy occasions in which everything just clicks into place to make for winning entertainment. Peter Hedges, along with the Weitz brothers, delivers a solid screenplay adaptation filled with genuine emotional depth, realistic characters, keen observations on family, love and loneliness and an arsenal of terrific one-liners. The Weitz's direction flows as smoothly as the screenplay does, never hitting the viewer over the head with the jokes or the occasional bits of drama. We're allowed to absorb the characters and the situations they are going through on our own terms, something unheard of in a Hollywood comedy these days.

Grant headlines an impressive cast with what has to be his most accomplished performance to date. Rather than the trademark stuttering, bumbling oaf with nice hair, the Hugh Grant on display in Boy is more mature, less physical in his comedic delivery but every bit as sharp as he was in such winners as Four Weddings and A Funeral and >Notting Hill. Newcomer Nicholas Hoult makes an impressive debut as Marcus, more than holding his own alongside Grant. Toni Collette (as Marcus' mother), Rachel Weisz (as one of Will's love interests) and Victoria Smurfit are all fine in small but important supporting roles.

About A Boy offers a smart, funny alternative to the Scorpion Kings, Jedi Knights and web slinging superheroes clogging the multiplexes this spring. Even if you are looking forward to those popcorn flicks, as I am, you should make the time to check this winner out.

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