About a Boy

In contemporary London the rhythm of everyday life is punctuated by coffee‑shop chatter, the hum of the Underground and a surprisingly generous royalty check that lets a 38‑year‑old bachelor drift through his days with little more than television, cigarettes and a carefree attitude toward responsibility. Will has perfected the art of appearing effortlessly “cool,” yet beneath his laid‑back exterior lies a deliberate ruse: he pretends to be a single parent in order to gain entrance to the world of meet‑ups and dating groups that promise the promise of romance without the inconvenience of genuine commitment.

Into this self‑curated bubble wanders a shy, eccentric twelve‑year‑old who is more at home in the margins of his own family than in the bustling city streets. Marcus lives under the shadow of a mother struggling with the weight of adulthood, and his quiet intelligence is masked by a wary exterior. Their first encounter feels like a collision of opposite worlds—an adult who has never needed to grow up meeting a child who has been forced to do so far too soon.

The film settles into a tone that blends dry British wit with heartfelt observation, allowing humor to soften the edges of deeper loneliness. As Will and Marcus begin to orbit each other’s lives, an unlikely companionship emerges, each offering the other something the other has been missing: the younger boy a glimpse of steady, if imperfect, adulthood, and the older man a reminder that genuine connection demands more than clever deceptions. Their interactions sparkle with tender awkwardness, suggesting that growth can be found in the most unexpected of alliances.

Against a backdrop of bustling cafés, modest flats and the ever‑present soundtrack of pop culture, the story teases the possibility that even the most reluctant hearts can learn to care, that friendship may bloom where self‑interest once reigned, and that the search for belonging often starts with a simple, honest conversation.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 11:26