Nobody plays the haughty and snobbish better than Hugh Grant, but he's not without his versatility, either. In his latest venture, "About a Boy," Grant plays a character who undergoes a variety of emotions, including those closely associated with that familiar plot device of one man's awakening to the pleasures of companionship and love. In effect, he molds the character to his liking, thus making the film a comedic and heartwarming, if somewhat predictable, experience.

Grant is Will Freeman, a thirtysomething who hasn't worked a day in his life but, through his father's one-hit wonder decades earlier, is able to enjoy the life of luxury and splendor. He frequents with various women, none of whom he shows an emotional interest in, spends his days buying CDs, DVDs, clothes, and other merchandise, seemingly to fill the void in his life he is momentarily unaware of. He's the type of person who would attend a single parents' support group, fabricate a two-year-old son for an emotional show, all in the name of making a date with a single female.

On the opposite end, we meet young Marcus (newcomer Nicholas Hoult), a typical schoolyard outcast whose mother, Fiona (Toni Collette) only seems to make matters worse for him (in addition to his sheepish attire, she walks him to school everyday, and says the dreaded "I love you" in front of the entire courtyard). Theirs is a rocky, distant relationship, made even more unstable after Fiona attempts suicide from severe depression. It is here that Marcus and Will meet.

From this point, we get the usual routine of their awkwardness around one another, and their inner thoughts and reactions to each other's way of living. Their opinions are revealed in voice-over for certain scenes, such as that in which Marcus sets Fiona and Will up on a date. Will begins to wonder why Marcus hasn't been able to fit in with people, while Marcus questions Will's reluctance to fit in at all. As you may well know, they will end up having a greater effect on each other than they expected.

The movie has its share of ups and downs, resting mainly with its journey into heavily-tread territory, and the ongoing sense that we won't be given a solid reason to empathize with Will in the end. During his initial courtship of a single mother played by Rachel Weisz, we see a different side of him, but his old side is shown through his mistruth in allowing her to believe Marcus is his son. The film flirts dangerously with disaster here, but common sense should tell any respectable moviegoer that everything will be okay.

Also left in the dark is the nature of Fiona's extreme depression, which seems more like a plot device than anything else. No doubt Toni Collette captures the essence of the character rather exquisitely, and in her scenes with Hoult we see the makings of a good mother, but what it the cause of her emotional trauma? I hardly think it could be her divorce, seeing as how her ex-husband, his new wife, and her mother all gather with Fiona and Marcus for Christmas.

In the film's favor is a terrific amount of humorous situations and lively dialogue, and it's sparkling cast. Grant never fails in delivering his lines with a fiery wit; he has a special brand of charm that he employs in each of his roles, and here, it's enjoyably sensational and very, very funny. His interactions with Hoult are touching and comical, hitting just the right notes at all the right moments. They make what would otherwise be a routine change-of-life plot tactic refreshingly potent and affecting.

Above all else, "About a Boy" has a heart at its core, and knows how to reveal it in a manner that makes up for minor shortcomings. The film ends on a note of heartwarming humor and self-realization, and it gave me a warm feeling of joy and giddiness. This is the type of movie that manipulates you to feel certain ways at certain times, but the good news is, you'll hardly notice.

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