It wasn’t exactly a subtle experience. Will is preoccupied with himself and has abandoned any sense of duty. While attempting one of his questionable schemes targeting single mothers, he begins to question his own values after meeting Marcus, a lonely boy of twelve. The film, adapted from Nick Hornby's widely read book ("Fever Pitch" and "High Fidelity"), manages to work reasonably well on screen, though it doesn’t quite rise above its basic story. Surprisingly, given that this is very much a British production, the director is American—Paul Weitz, who with his brother Chris created “American Pie.” The film succeeds largely because of Hugh Grant's underappreciated comedic abilities (as Will). I’d even say that without Grant in the lead role, it would have failed; the best moments come when he’s on screen. He uses his facial expressions and delivers his lines with a natural ease that draws viewers into the world of the less-than-respectable Will—a considerable feat considering how unlikeable Will is. Nicholas Hoult (Marcus) performs adequately for a child actor, but the role gives him too much to handle. This further highlights Grant’s importance to the film's success; he carries a lot of the emotional weight, allowing Hoult to put whatever life he can into young Marcus (who has an unfortunate haircut). Toni Collette and Rachael Weisz provide good supporting performances, and Weitz’s direction is straightforward and unobtrusive. The music by Badly Drawn Boy becomes part of the narrative. Despite my own enjoyment of the film, I still feel a sense of disappointment that it didn't reach its full potential. A narration shared between both main characters disrupts the story’s progression, and the ending feels predictable. Ultimately, to me, it’s an average movie elevated by one of Britain’s finest comedic actors. 7/10

Source on TMDB