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The History Boys Reviews

2006

60
from 40,604 members

"The History Boys" tells the story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master (Richard Griffiths), a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores (Stephen Campbell Moore), a grossly out-numbered history .. Read more

Starring	Samuel Anderson, Jack Bagley, Samuel Barnett, Stephen Campbell Moore
Director	Nicholas Hytner
Genres	Audio Descriptive, Drama

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Critic's review of The History Boys
View all critics' reviews (4)
- Thereâs something of Joe Orton about âThe History Boysâ, the play by Alan Bennett which makes the transfer from... read more on Time Out
- 49847
- - Dave Calhoun
  - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:20
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The History Boys
View all members' reviews (523)
- - 116
  - 33
  Diabolical
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Beware – this is no Dead Poet’s Society as the trailers suggest! It’s a poorly written adaptation with completely unrealistic, 1-dimensional ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 444934
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - London
  - 30 May 2007 at 11:29
Most recent members' reviews of The History Boys
View all members' reviews (523)
- - 0
  - 0
  History Boys
  
  This film came highly recommended to me, but I was highly disappointed. I did manage to watch it to the end !!
  
  Report this review
- 1071449
- - a customer
  - 08 Dec 2011 at 12:25
- - 0
  - 0
  Surprisingly good...
  
  Adapted from the Alan Bennett play of the same name. I was expecting a half-baked adaptation of the play that would betray the subtleties of Bennett's work... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1069839
- - Tomosan
  - 34 reviews
  - Hindhead
  - 03 Dec 2011 at 20:13
- - 0
  - 0
  Classic Alan Bennett
  
  A classic Alan Bennett. Great acting. Full of pace this film brought original insight about education and its role whatever the background.
  
  Report this review
- 1040326
- - a customer
  - 13 Sep 2011 at 15:15
- - 0
  - 5
  The Boring Boys
  
  O dear!! Well the criteria for writing a review says you have to have actually seen the film, so maybe I am disqualified as it was so unspeakably bad that I ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1023211
- - a customer
  - 29 Jul 2011 at 22:41
- - 1
  - 0
  Amusing and insightful
  
  Entertaining, lighthearted and engaging whilst exploring a number of important social topics.
  
  I can see that some could have wished for more but I ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1010631
- - a customer
  - 28 Jun 2011 at 07:27
- - 0
  - 0
  Top Class film about a Top Class
  
  I was not sure when I first read the synopsis of this film, that I would enjoy it. I enjoyed it immensely and thought it was really clever, with a brilliant ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1007991
- - Norman6646
  - 6 reviews
  - West Midlands
  - 21 Jun 2011 at 17:42
- - 0
  - 0
  Good and different
  
  Really enjoyed this film. I can understand why it was a hit. To hear about it, it sounds like a pretty boring film with no real storyline, but it kept me ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 994629
- - Lauren Edwards
  - Middlesex,
  - 19 May 2011 at 11:54
- - 0
  - 0
  Enjoyably Witty!
  
  If you're prone to watching the big action blockbuster movies then I doubt this movie is for you. The basic plot is of a class of intellectually astute male... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 956530
- - a customer
  - Essex, England
  - 23 Jan 2011 at 20:45
- - 0
  - 0
  The History Boys
  
  We love this film....have watched it many times over several years. Some strong performances by some of the actors. Sadly, we missed seeing the stage play by ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 955021
- - a customer
  - Lancaster
  - 18 Jan 2011 at 22:47
- - 2
  - 0
  Alan Bennett at his best!
  
  As you would expect from Alan Bennett, the History Boys script is full of witty and excellent dialogue/wordplay. Having recently seen the stage play, the story ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 951777
- - Routemaster
  - 62 reviews
  - Cambridge
  - 08 Jan 2011 at 08:54
View all members' reviews (523)

- - 116
  - 33
  Diabolical
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Beware – this is no Dead Poet’s Society as the trailers suggest! It’s a poorly written adaptation with completely unrealistic, 1-dimensional ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 444934
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - London
  - 30 May 2007 at 11:29
- - 45
  - 8
  exquisite
  
  If you appreciate witty dialogue that gives way to profound realities of the human condition while maintaining a healthy and deprecatory eye on its own mo - ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 439570
- - a customer
  - Middlesbrough, England
  - 13 May 2007 at 16:48
- - 45
  - 17
  Yechhh!
  
  My elderly mother was visiting and I had to find a film that she'd like. I read through the reviews of the films that were available, and chose this one. I... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 423889
- - a customer
  - Scotland
  - 26 Mar 2007 at 00:12
- - 31
  - 9
  Brilliant Play, Very Good Film
  
  Possibly not quite as good as the play, but the film provides a wholly entertaining and insightful piece in its own right. The DVD also shows the process of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 416789
- - a customer
  - Cheshire
  - 03 Mar 2007 at 23:07
- - 18
  - 4
  Boys will be Boys
  
  This is an exquisite film, well made, based on a play by Alan Bennett, screenplay by Alan Bennett and with a cast that are not only very proficient, but have ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 467934
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Charles Brickley
  - Andover, Hampshire England
  - 21 Aug 2007 at 16:50
- - 20
  - 11
  big disappointment
  
  i'm a fan of all Alan Bennet's work, but this movie is a real failure.
  
  Characters are either poorly defined (the boys) or gross caricature (... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 432669
- - a customer
  - croydon
  - 23 Apr 2007 at 07:12
- - 18
  - 7
  could have been good...............
  
  a film about a bunch of lads who forgot they were all gay and then some remembered , and then they all did some homework.................boring.
  
  Report this review
- 447608
- - Tim Hughes
  - England
  - 07 Jun 2007 at 10:51
- - 18
  - 8
  Why British films are so good
  
  If you love well told, and excellently written films watch this. A gentle voice throughout, thanks to Alan Bennett's wonderfull play. All the male leads ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 440098
- - a customer
  - Cambridge, England
  - 15 May 2007 at 09:49
- - 16
  - 7
  Perhaps I'm missing something
  
  I think there are people out there who would appreciate this film, but I'm not one of them. People who don't know the play will probably miss the whole ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 430526
- - Nick Smith
  - Newport, South Wales
  - 16 Apr 2007 at 16:12
- - 14
  - 0
  Oh my God
  
  I cant believe how many good reviews this utter drivel got. After 5 mins I had already decided I did not like it as the acting was shoddy and the lines they ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 494454
- - markus44
  - 8 reviews
  - luton
  - 14 Nov 2007 at 10:49

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- The History Boys
  
  "The History Boys" tells the story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master (Richard Griffiths), a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores (Stephen Campbell Moore), ...