About a Boy (2002) - Quotes

Interest in Music Sparks Conversation

Ellie: You like rap?

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Discussion of Music Preferences

Will: [[w:Mystikal|Mystikal] It's a CD, Marcus, by ]. They're cool. You'll like them.

Fiona: What kind of music is Mystikal?

Will: It's sort of, um, world music . . .

Marcus: [reads a song title; [w:Shake Ya Ass|Shake Ya Ass] ].

Will: ...Slash rap-type thing.

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A Witty Exchange on Loneliness and Parenthood

Christine: You will end up childless and alone.

Will: Well, fingers crossed, yeah.

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Awkward Family Dynamics and Misunderstandings

Marcus: [voiceover] If Mum was going to get Will to marry her, she'd have to quit making jokes. At least she looked good. I had her put on that nice hairy jumper and the earrings she got from her friend that went to Zimbabwe.

Will: [voiceover] The kid seemed to think this was a date. As for his mum, she was clearly insane and appeared to be wearing some kind of Yeti costume.

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Negotiating Terms in a Friendship

Marcus: I'll come if you take my mom, too. She hasn't got any money, so either we'll have to go somewhere cheap, or you'll have to treat us.

Will: Well, listen, don't beat about the bush, Marcus.

Marcus: Why should I? We're poor, you're rich, you pay. You can bring your little boy if you like. I don't mind.

Will: That's really big of you.

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Forgotten Letter of Love and Concern

Marcus: I got the letter. Thanks.

Fiona: Oh my God. I'd forgotten.

Marcus: You forgot? You forgot a suicide letter?

Fiona: Well I didn't think I'd have to remember it, did I? Did you read the part where I said I'd always love you?

Marcus: It's a bit hard for you to love me when you're dead, isn't it?

Fiona: I can understand why you're angry, Marcus. But I don't feel the same as I did yesterday, if it's any help.

Marcus: What? It's all gone away? All that?

Fiona: No, but, for the moment, I feel better.

Marcus: The moment's no good for me. I can see you feel better at the moment. You just put the kettle on. What happens when you finish your tea? What happens when I go back to school? I can't be here to watch you all the time!

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Expressions of Missing Someone

Suzie: You miss him, don't you?

Will: Who? Oh, Ned! Yeah. Yeah, very much.

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Discussing Ex-Partner's Involvement with Child

Suzie: May I ask, does your ex see Ned at all?

Will: Sorry, I didn't catch your name.

Suzie: Suzie.

Will: Suzie. She doesn't see much of him, no.

Suzie: How does he cope with that?

Will: He's a very good little boy. Very, very brave. They've got amazing resources, don't they? Just the other day I was thinking about my ex. He came crawling up, put his little pudgy arms around my neck, and he said: "You hang in there, Dad.

Suzie: God, that's amazing for a 2-year-old!

Will: Is it? Yeah, he's very special. Very, very special. Sometimes I think, you know, he's the one taking care of me. Teaching me the ways of the world.

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A Shallow Assessment of Parenthood

Will: You must be joking. I couldn't possibly think of a worse godfather for Imogene. You know me. I'll drop her at her christening. I'll forget her birthdays until her 18th, when I'll take her out and get her drunk and possibly, let's face it, you know, try and shag her. I mean, seriously, it's a very, very bad choice.

Christine: We know, I just thought you had hidden depths.

Will: No. No. You've always had that wrong. I really am this shallow.

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Conflicting Emotions and Unexpected Compliments

Fiona: [to Will] You're a selfish bastard.

Fiona: [to Marcus] When you sing, it brings sunshine and happiness into my heart.

Lindsey's Mum: [''Shake your ass''] Sheikh Yur Az ... is he Moroccan?

Lindsey's Mum: Are we having duck? Delicious!

Ellie: [to Marcus] What did you just say to me? You heard me, squitty little shitty snot-nosed bastard!

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Inadequate Godfather Reflection

Will: [After being asked to be Imogene's godfather] I couldn't possibly think of a worse godfather for Imogene. You know me, I'll drop her at her christening. I'll forget her birthdays until her 18th, when I'll take her out and get her drunk and possibly, let's face it, you know, try and shag her.

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Isolation and Connection in Human Relationships

Will: [Thinking] Every man is an island. And I stand by that. But clearly, some men are part of island chains. Below the surface of the ocean they're actually connected.

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Confronting Fear Through Vulnerable Expression

Will: So there I was, killing them softly with my song. Or rather, being killed. And not that softly, either. I was singing with my eyes closed. Was I frightened? I was petrified.

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Addressing Morning Tears and Depression

Will: The crying in the morning thing, the depression. Let's get that fixed.

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The Value of Time in Everyday Life

Will: My life is made up of units of time. Buying CDs – two units. Eating lunch – three units. Exercising – two units. All in all, I had a very full life. It's just that it didn't mean anything.

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The Consequences of Opening Your Door

Will: Once you open your door to one person anyone can come in.

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Will's Reluctance for Christmas Gathering

Will: No, Marcus, I do not want to come over for Christmas. I do not want to spend Christmas with Ms. Granola Suicide and her spawn.

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Isolation and Identity in About a Boy

Will: I'm a bloody island! I'm bloody Ibiza!

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Frustration Over Early Holiday Music

Will: [In the supermarket, his father's song begins to play] Shit! It can't be. November-the-sodding-19. Six weeks before Christmas and already they were playing the bloody thing.

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The Benefits of Emotional Detachment

Will: Me, I didn't mean anything. About anything, to anyone. I knew that guaranteed me a long, depression-free life.

Time Management in Small Increments

Will: I find the key is to think of a day as units of time, each unit consisting of no more than thirty minutes. Full hours can be a little bit intimidating and most activities take about half an hour. Taking a bath: one unit, watching countdown: one unit, web-based research: two units, exercising: three units, having my hair carefully dishevelled: four units. It's amazing how the day fills up, and I often wonder, to be absolutely honest, if I'd ever have time for a job; how do people cram them in?

The Solo Show of Life

Will: The thing is, a person's life is like a TV show. I was the star of The Will Show. And The Will Show wasn't an ensemble drama. Guests came and went, but I was the regular. It came down to me, and me alone. If Marcus mum couldn't manage her own show if her ratings were falling, it was sad, but that was her problem. Ultimately, the whole single-mum plot line was a bit complicated for me.

Contrasting Emotions in a Unique Experience

Will: It was horrible. Horrible. But driving fast behind the ambulance was fantastic.

Frustration with Masculinity and Relationships

Will: [Regarding the first SPAT meeting] I'll tell you one thing. Men are bastards. After about ten minutes I wanted to cut my own penis off with a kitchen knife.

Struggles of a Reluctant Good Guy

Will: [voiceover] She couldn't stay at my place, and she didn't have a DVD, or satellite or cable. So we were always stuck watching some crap made-for-TV movie about a kid with leukemia. I was going to have to end it. But having been Will the Good Guy I didn't relish going back to my role of Will the Unreliable, Emotionally-stunted Arsehole.

Islands in the Age of Isolation

Will: In my opinion, all men are islands. And what's more, now's the time to be one. This is an island age.

The Importance of Community Over Couples

Marcus: [Thinking] I used to think two wasn't enough. Now there were loads of people... I don't know what Will was so upset about. All I meant was I don't think couples are the future. You need more than that. You need backup. The way I saw it, Will and I both had backup now. It's like that thing he told me Jon Bon Jovi said: "No man is an island.

A Frustrated Outburst of Disappointment

Marcus: You're right. You can't help me. How could you? You're a stupid person who watches TV all day and buys things. You don't give a shit about anybody, and nobody gives a shit about you!

Unspoken Affections Revealed by a Friend

Marcus: [to Rachel, about Will] He fancies you. He told me.

Desire for Connection and Exclusivity

Marcus: I wanna be with her more, I wanna be with her all the time, and I wanna tell her things I don't even tell you or mum. And I don't want her to have another boyfriend. I suppose if I could have all those things, I wouldn't really mind if I touched her or not.

The Importance of Having Backup

Marcus: Suddenly I realized – two people isn't enough. You need backup. If there are only two people, and someone drops off the edge, then you're on your own. Two isn't a large enough number. You need three at least.