Also on other review sites as either peteandcesca or stellaandjoey. I will always return reads and r...
Also on other review sites as either peteandcesca or stellaandjoey. I will always return reads and rates as soon as I can!
Member since:31.08.2007
Reviews:44
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Starter for ten was a DVD that my Wife bought and it had been sat on our shelf whilst we waited for our new DVD player to arrive, as we couldn't get any of our DVD's to play at all on our old one. I have to admit I wasn't that bothered if I saw it or not and was actually slightly grateful that I was managing to hold off on this one for a while!
However, as soon as the new DVD player arrived my Wife insisted that we watch this as she has been wanting to for quite some time - since it was on in the cinema in fact but she hadn't managed to go and see it. She was so desperate to see it because she has the book and really wanted to see the film! So one evening we sat down to watch it with me not expecting much but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and overall glad that I had actually ended up watching this film!!
The story of the film is about a guy named Brian, played by James McAvoy, who is pretty average - not very attractive
and not the most intelligent - has to work hard to get the grades type of guy. It is set in 1985 and the film starts out with him sat at home as a young lad watching University Challenge with his mum and dad and actually getting one of the answers right. He decides that would be his dream to get on this programme. Little does he know that some years later, he will get the opportunity to actually be on the show as his university is running auditions for places on the team. He feels it would be the best way to also do his dad proud who has sadly since passed on.
The story follows him through his time at University and his chance to go on University Challenge. He not only has to deal with the chance of fulfilling his dream but also his feelings for the girl he has fallen for, Alice and his friend Rebecca who cares about him in a way that he just can't see! He also has his oldest best friend Spencer throwing spanners in the works and his mums new love interest to deal with. If that isn't enough he also has the team captain for University Challenge, named Patrick, at loggerheads with him and this causes some funny moments too! Will he be able to rise to the challenge of it all?
The film is actually quite humorous and there are lots of laughs. Brian is definately the geeky type and some moments do make you laugh because of how stupid he can be. The girls who play Alice and Rebecca are just right for their roles and the actor who plays Patrick is brilliant in his role! There are some funny bits with him in it as the character he plays is a guy who likes to be perfect and wants to be the best but doesn't like that Brian seems to know stuff he doesn't! You can tell he loves it when he can tell Brian his is wrong. Also we see his mum, Julie, playing a good role - the typical mum with her son going off to University.
The main cast are as follows:
Brian - James McAvoy Alice - Alice Eve Rebecca - Rebecca Hall Patrick - Benedict Cumberbatch Spencer - Dominic Cooper Julie - Catherine Tate
The film was directed by Tom Vaughn and the film is based on the book by David Nicholls who also did the screenplay for the film too. The film was released in 2006 and didn't stay around in cinemas long which is shame really as it actually is a really good film if you ask me!
The film won an Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival.
An interesting piece of information is that James McAvoy and Patrick Cumberbatch actually went on to star in Atonement together. Also, the Director, Tom Vaughn and the writer, David Nicholls, actually went to Bristol University together back in the 80's.
DVD Extras: The DVD we have has some extras on and these are as follows:
Cast and crew interviews - does what it says! Various cast and crew give their thoughts on the film and the actors in it.
Theatrical trailer - this is the trailer for the film as seen in the cinemas
Interactive 80's quiz - this is the best of the three with a little quiz you can play of 10 questions. I'm not sure how many different questions they have loaded overall but they are moslty 80's related with clips from the film shown as you play it as if you are in the University challenge studio. Good fun!
Overall I highly recommend this film as even those who haven't heard of either this or the book will enjoy it and it worth having in your DVD collection.
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Compared to James McAvoy's previous picture,The Last King of Scotland, this comedy may ... more
seem trivial, but trivia has its pleasures. Produced by Tom Hanks and adapted by David Nicholls from his 2003 novel,Starter for Tendoesn't tackle major historical ev...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It's 1985; Thatcher's in power, The Cure are In Between Days and Marty McFly's trying to ... more
get Back To The Future. James McAvoy (The Last King Of Scotland, Shameless) is Brian Jackson, a wide-eyed working class kid whose exhaustive grasp of general knowl...
Compared to James McAvoy's previous picture,The Last King of Scotland, this comedy may ... more
seem trivial, but trivia has its pleasures. Produced by Tom Hanks and adapted by David Nicholls from his 2003 novel,Starter for Tendoesn't tackle major historical ev...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
From Playtone and producers Tom Hanks Gary Goetzman and Pippa Harris Starter For 10 is a ... more
romantic comedy set in the mid-eighties about a working-class kid struggling to make his way in the rarified world of an upper-class British University. On his...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![Starter For 10 [DVD] [2006]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/77958101.jpg "Starter For 10 [DVD] [2006]")
Mar 26th, 2008
(Mar 20th, 2008)
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