Starter For 10 Details

2006

Rated:
60
from 22,887 members

Set in 1985, working-class student Brian Jackson (McAvoy) navigates his first year at Bristol University. Read more

Starring	Mark Gatiss, Rebecca Hall, James McAvoy, Alice Eve
Director	Tom Vaughan
Genres	Comedy, Drama, Romance

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Starter For 10

Set in 1985, working-class student Brian Jackson (McAvoy) navigates his first year at Bristol University.

Starring	Mark Gatiss, Rebecca Hall, James McAvoy, Alice Eve, Catherine Tate, Charles Dance
Director	Tom Vaughan
Studio	ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time	DVD: 1 hr 33 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 33 mins
Certificate
Genres	Comedy, Drama, Romance
Language	English
Hearing-impaired	English
Released	DVD: 23 Apr 2007 Blu-ray: not available Production year: 2006
Format	DVD

Critics' reviews (2) of Starter For 10
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the most refreshing, painfully funny British comedy in years
- Arena
- Posted 08 Oct 2007
A cross between ABOUT A BOY and THE BREAKFAST CLUB
- Total Film
- Posted 08 Oct 2007
Most helpful member's review of Starter For 10
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81 out of 99 people found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

Starter for 10

1985. Working class Brian Jackson (McAvoy) leaves home to attend Bristol University. There he joins the University Challenge team and falls for teammate Alice (Eve). To begin with Brian and Alice hit it off but after a disastrous visit to see Alice at her parents’ house he returns to Bristol to drown his sorrows with Rebecca (Hall). Brian and Rebecca share a drunken New Year kiss but he makes a big mistake and she runs away.

Will Brian’s romantic life sort itself out? Who will he end up with? Can he and his team win University Challenge?

Genre cinema has a bad name. Studios pump out endless genre movies, lazy variations on themes laid down years ago because that’s what they think Joe and Josephine Public want to watch. As a critic I spend plenty of time bemoaning these films, asking why something more original can’t get the greenlight. However just once in a while a film comes along that uses the rules of a given genre (in this case romantic comedy) well, that manages to be both populist fare and quality cinema. Starter For 10 is the first rom-com to do so in some time.

James McAvoy has a tough job as Brian. He must be clever yet klutzy, awkward but able to convince in a love triangle, funny while able to play emotion. All this and more he does with aplomb. Boyishly handsome at 27 he’s still convincing as an 18 year old. He nails down the slapstick comedy but also gives Brian the requisite intelligence for the more literate jokes to work. Most importantly he’s easy to identify with, in him Brian feels like a real person, even though he’s presented rather broadly.

The daughters of two English stage families complete the love triangle. Blonde, buxom Alice Eve as Alice and Brunette Rebecca Hall as Rebecca.

It may be Alice that Brian falls for but right from the off it’s Rebecca who is the most interesting. Her first appearance charms immediately, she’s got some fine jokes right off the bat and Hall’s comic timing is well tuned. It’s welcome to see a female character in what is a light film be intelligent and political and Hall balances these facets well with the comedy. Blessed with girl [you wish lived] next-door prettiness and a smile that lights up the screen she seems a movie star in the making.

Eve is very good also but Alice isn’t quite as well drawn. It’s easy to see where the character is going right from the start. However Eve is an engaging presence and she too gets plenty of comic moments to shine.

The cast is filled out with cameoing British actors. Charles Dance and Lindsay Duncan pop up briefly in a very funny scene as Eve’s parents. TV comedy star Catherine Tate is restrained and sweet as Brian’s mum. However Benedict Cumberbatch almost nicks the film from under everyone’s noses with a very funny, very broad, performance as Patrick, the leader of Brian’s University Challenge team.

The 1985 setting is perhaps superfluous, it really could be anytime, but it does provide a stunningly good soundtrack, with The Cure and Kate Bush just two of the great selections.

It isn’t perfect. If you’ve ever seen a film before you’ll know which girl Brian ends up with by now (though I’ve tried not to spoil it) and there’s really only one moment you won’t see coming. That said when it’s done with this much charm, when the characters are engaging, and the jokes funny, that’s an easy thing to forgive a genre movie.

Go seek it out, switch your brain off for a while and enjoy the simple pleasures of this entertaining bit of fluff.
- - SAI81 from Tonbridge
  - Posted 14 Jan 2007 16:47
Most recent members' review of Starter For 10
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6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

If you liked the book you'll like this

I really liked the book Starter for 10, so was really pleased to hear it was being made into a film.

I am quite skeptical about films following on from books as they usually seem to be a bit of a let down, but this wasn't. The film was great, and in my opinion, as good as the book.

The book was funnier though, but the film did have a few laugh out loud moments.
- - ClaireBear from Romford
  - Posted 30 May 2007 13:11
News and features
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What Happens in Vegas: Tom Vaughan interview
- 01 May 2008
We found Starter For Ten Brit director Tom Vaughan in fine form as he talked to us about his new film What Happens in Vegas starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. Vaughn gave us the lowdown on hanging out at Ashton's house, his comedic inspirations and what it's like being an Englishman in New York… LF: What was it like meeting Ashton and Cameron for the first time? TV: I was sent off to Ashton's house to meet him and Cameron Diaz; as you do! You tootle on up to Beverly Hills and nip round... Read more
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