Der Tag der toten Ente

A beautiful film that will make you laugh and move you while caressing your soul. I must admit that I would not have expected something so smart and subtle from the Weitz brothers. The casting is absolutely perfect and especially Hugh Grant as a self-centered bastard is simply flawless and proves that he has much more to offer as an actor. It's an outright delight to watch his facial expressions, and his performance is just clearly Oscar-worthy. As a matter of fact, it's one of the best films I've seen this year, and since I can't think of anything to fault it for, I give it five stars. (03.12.2002)

Eine sehr schöne und angenehme Überraschung in Form einer konservativen, aber sehenswerten und intelligenten Komödie über einen einsamen Jäger der Mädchenherzen und seine allmähliche Erleuchtung durch Jungenaugen. Hornbys schlagkräftige Poesie leistet viel, es gibt fast keine peinlichen oder kitschigen Momente, im Gegenteil, der Höhepunkt des Films ist ein perfektes Beispiel für drehbuchtechnische Keuschheit und Cleverness. Die Figur des Hugh Grant ist im Kern eine recht treffende und einfühlsame Karikatur eines Mannes und Jägers, und auch die anderen Figuren sind ähnlich glaubwürdig. Eine angenehme Ergänzung sind die hervorragende Musik und eine Menge unaufdringliche Situationskomik. Obwohl ich weder Grant noch das Genre der romantischen Komödie mag, ist Der Tag der toten Ente eine ziemlich seltene Symbiose aus herzzerreißenden Momenten und satirischem Schmunzeln. Sehr insular, das ist ganz nach meinem Geschmack. (26.12.2006)

If it weren't for Markus' unlikable character, I would not hesitate to give it absolute approval. The unmistakable British look, perfect soundtrack, and Hugh Grant with brilliant lines and guitar. (30.11.2005)

The character of Will is brilliant in every way, especially his thoughts. Gradually, though, he lapses into the dramatic side, which I found a bit stifling at times. For some of the supporting characters, I'd happily (and very gladly) change actors. In my book Will is worth the entire 3.5 stars for the film as a whole. (06.11.2012)

An excellently functional gem with a typically embellished sense of humor that clearly and loudly exclaims “I'm British!”, light, natural, and with an utter absence of sentiment. The brutally restrained dialogues and Hugh Grant’s brilliant performance were a pleasant surprise, it’s the first time I saw him not overflowing with awkwardness. The whole does not stumble – believe it or not – even once. Everything is topped off by an ending that is just as sharp and strong as the beginning. There are polished scenes that may not necessarily be explicitly funny, but it will be difficult to refrain from smiling at them. A small, yet entirely heartwarming affair. (29.08.2007)

The English really know how to do this. A lot of the motives are admittedly far-fetched and hard to believe, but its coolness is not something you’ll find anywhere else. The actors are amazing (especially the incredibly likeable Grant, whose picture I'd probably hang in my bathroom instead of a mirror if I were a woman), the narrative manages to come up with a witty and offbeat approach, and I haven't seen chemistry between characters work this well in a long time. 4* and a bit. (01.07.2012)

It's interesting and at times quite amusing :)) to watch Hugh Grant's involuntary transformation from a comfortable, indifferent, and totally anti-social loser to a sensitive and selfless, hmm... let's say "gentleman". The Weitz brothers surprised me personally quite a bit, as I have them associated with American Pie, but they earned my notice with this smart, likable, and not overly sweet comedy (as is unfortunately often the case with such films). While it may not be as good as Love Actually, About a Boy still ranks quite high in the imaginary rankings of romantic comedies. (17.03.2010)