Starring: James McAvoy, Rebecca Hall, Alice Eve, Mark Gatiss, Robert Cawsey Directed By: Tom Vaughan Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Hbo Home Video Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 31, 2007 Running Time: 96 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 09, 2007
Product Description: From the producers of My Big Fat Greek Wedding comes a rollicking bittersweet comedy about British university life in the '80s. James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland) stars as Brian a working class student from Essex navigating his first year at Bristol University with a ragtag group of new friends. Brian's life-long dream is to join the team for the British quiz show University Challenge...and to pull Alice the fittest girl on the team. Set against the backdrop of Thatcher-era Britain defined by the music of New Order The Cure and The Smiths Starter for 10 is the UK's long-awaited heartwarning and hilarious answer to the John Hughes films of the '80s.Running Time: 96 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 026359421921 Manufacturer No: 94219
Amazon.com: Compared to James McAvoy's previous picture, The Last King of Scotland, this British comedy may seem trivial, but trivia has its pleasures. Produced by Tom Hanks and adapted by David Nicholls from his 2003 novel, Starter for Ten doesn't tackle major historical events, but it also takes place in the past. After a prologue establishing his childhood in provincial Essex, Brian (McAvoy) takes off for Bristol University in 1985 and immediately sets his sights on the campus quiz team. If he makes the cut, he'll get to compete on University Challenge, a show he used to watch the show with his late father, who encouraged his son's quest for knowledge. For all his book smarts, though, Brian is rather naïve about the ways of the world, unlike his friend Spencer (Dominic Cooper, The History Boys), who remains in town. As Brian and his teammates prepare for the competition, he falls for co-eds Alice (Alice Eve) and Rebecca (Rebecca Hall, The Prestige), struggles to repair his fraying friendship with Spencer, and confronts feelings of betrayal over his mother's new boyfriend. For the most part, Starter for Ten explores standard-issue college concerns, but with abundant wit, whimsy, and a soundtrack stuffed with Thatcher-era favorites, like the Smiths and New Order. While the resolution to Brian's romantic dilemma hardly comes as a surprise, the climactic quiz show is a nail-biter. Mostly, the film is a fine showcase for the multi-talented McAvoy, who confirms that he can handle light comedy as gracefully as dark drama. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Not so great Even with Tom Hanks involved, this doesn't make the grade. A quiz-show caper, it lacks suspense. The love interests are only minorly interesting. The soundtrack of 80s Brit hits isn't bad, though. Watch if you're really bored.
Trip down memory lane This movie was an exercise in nostalgia for me. I attended an English university not long before this movie takes place in 1985 so there was a lot that was familiar. Having said that, it's a fairly entertaining hour and a half that never tries to go very deeply into the characters. There is some muffled social commentary in there somewhere but basically this is a movie about a rather straightforward, likable young man trying to get to grips with the world. First he falls for the wrong woman, the blond, and then for the right one, the political activist. Like a lot of movies, it doesn't promise very much but it delivers what it promises.
Big Questions Tom Vaughn who's next romantic comedy was "What Happens in Vegas" directs James McAvoy from The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition) & Atonement (Widescreen Edition). As Brian Jackson, McAvoy plays the small-town lad who heads to university only to have romantic heart trouble which makes his head all mushy. Mushy-headed, he screws up the famous quiz bowl with an ethical lapse before clearing his head, finding the right girl and answering the big questions. Catherine Tate plays his mother Julie Jackson, intent on finding a new romance after the son leaves home. Off at college, Brian meets Alice Harbinson played by Alice Eve. Eve is in "Crossing Over" with Harrison Ford. As Alice Harbinson, she's a brainy stylish woman who sets Brian Jackson's heart throbbing. Eve invites McAvoy's character for New Year's. Unfortunately, Brian smokes some funny stuff and makes inappropriate comments when he accidentally runs into Alice's naked parents at the fridge. Charles Dance from Gosford Park and Lindsay Duncan from Under the Tuscan Sun (Widescreen Edition) bare all briefly as Michael and Rose Harbinson. Back to college, Brian's friend Spencer played by Dominic Cooper shows up and beds Brian's girl. This leads Brian into a tailspin which is only turned around when he realizes that Rebecca Epstein, played by Rebecca Hall who was in The Prestige, is the girl for him. The DVD extras are interesting as we see interviews from the cast and director. "Starter for 10" entertains, although hardly groundbreaking. Enjoy!
Ruined by an artsy ending
I guess it was realistic and artsy to give depressing ending to "Starter for Ten."
Good acting but the director was clearly in a split mind as to what kind of film he was making. The film starts with the promise of 'about a boy, but looses its way. The actor playing Bamber Gascoin must have been told it was a piss take. The ending is implausible and only serves to make the watcher feel a fool for watching beyond the boring start.
Disappointed I love James McAvoy, but I wish I could say this was a great movie. Although there were a few humorous scenes, the movie was, overall, disappointing. McAvoy did play the character well, but the storyline was my biggest issue. Watching this move made me feel more awkward and uncomfortable than I have in my entire life.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
