The Weitz brothers: From 'Pie' to 'Boy'

Paul, top, and Chris Weitz, say "About a Boy" is a more humanistic comedy than "American Pie."

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Though many people aren't aware of it, there are two movies opening this weekend. One is about an immature male learning about love, pride, and how to be a man. The other, of course, is "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones."

The first movie is "About a Boy," a comedy starring Hugh Grant. Given the publicity surrounding "Star Wars: Episode II," you'd think the directors, Chris and Paul Weitz, would be concerned that their movie will be steamrollered by Jedi knights and lost in the shuffle at the multiplex. But they don't seem to be worried.

"We're not going to win initial box office ratings, but it is the only comedy opening that week," Chris, 32, said.

The Weitz brothers first came to fame in 1999 with the teen gross-out comedy "American Pie." The creative team directed and produced the blockbuster that featured the sequence now quaintly dubbed the "apple pie scene." They opted only to produce its 2001 sequel.

But audiences shouldn't anticipate that same brand of sophomoric humor in "About a Boy," they said.

"If they're expecting the raunchy, hard-core, high jinks of 'American Pie,' then I think that they will probably be disappointed. They're going to have to see 'Freddy Got Fingered' or something like that on video," Paul, 38, warned. "This is a humanistic comedy with a serious edge to it."

Dead ducks and apple pie

Based on the bestselling Nick Hornby novel of the same name, "About a Boy" is actually about a man, played by Hugh Grant, who abandons his self-absorbed bachelor lifestyle after reluctantly befriending 12-year-old Marcus, played by newcomer Nicholas Hoult.

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Toni Collette plays Marcus' suicidal mother Fiona, who is, at first, uncomfortable with the unusual friendship.

Though tempted, the directing duo was careful to avoid following the comic instincts that put them on the map.

"There's actually a scene in [Hornby's] book where Toni Collette's character is given a chocolate penis for Christmas. We decided, 'If we do this, it's just going to seem like those guys from "American Pie" brought this scene extraneously into this sophisticated comedy.' So we had to cut it," Paul said.

However, there is one scene in which Marcus accidentally strikes a duck with a loaf of his mother's bread. Both admit that's a brief reference to "Pie"-style humor.

"The dead duck scene is our apple pie [for this movie]," said Chris.

Actors and characters

Grant, the brothers said, fit right into his role, providing it with more edge than other characters he's played. "And he's a lot of fun to hang out with when it's Miller time," said Chris.

The Weitz brothers agree Hugh Grant is a "good drinking buddy."

"He's a really good guy and he had just broken up with Elizabeth Hurley when filming began. When we got out to London he had a lot of spare time on his hands and he was taking us out to clubs ... [a] good drinking buddy," Paul kidded.

And even though "About a Boy" is Nicholas Hoult's first film, he was easy to work with because he had not developed any "adult habits," the brothers said.

"One thing that you're scared about in casting a child actor is that you don't want to wreck their lives," said Chris. "Most of them end up robbing banks or getting in some kind of trouble. You hope that the kid you cast isn't destroyed by the experience."

While staying true to the book, the Weitz brothers also tried to stay true to the book's locale -- London -- unlike the previous movie based on a Hornby novel, 2000's "High Fidelity," which changed London to Chicago.

" 'High Fidelity' [the book] was about a British guy obsessed with American culture, and they changed it to an American guy obsessed with American culture. I'm not sure that's a direct translation," Paul said. "We felt it would reach an American audience fine if it was set in Britain," he added.

"I think the novel, the story and the characters are quite universal," Chris said.

The advantages of nepotism

Even with three Hollywood films under their belts, the Weitz brothers say they are trying to keep one foot in the independent film world and one foot in the commercial film world.

Paul, right, and Chris view footage on the set of "About a Boy" in London.

"We've acted in this film called 'Chuck and Buck,' which is the indiest of indie films," said Paul. "And actually, in terms of the look of our films, we're trying to have some feeling of it being like an indie film. In terms of 'American Pie' and 'About a Boy' -- they purposefully lack a sort of slickness that one associates with Hollywood today," Paul said.

And, Chris added, it's helpful to be related to your creative partner. Sometimes.

"It's a good scam. We're not actually partners," he joked. "[But] directing a movie can be difficult and very mentally demanding. So it's really valuable to have a co-conspirator," he added.

"For me, it's incredibly fun -- especially once you get, like, a little bit of success. People in Hollywood are loath to tell you when they think that you're being stupid, but your brother's always willing," Paul said.

"I jump at the chance," Chris said, finishing the thought.