Stars: Mark Gatiss, Rebecca Hall, James McAvoy, Alice Eve, Catherine Tate, Charles Dance

Director: Tom Vaughan

Summary:

1985; Britain has had to endure race riots, minor strikes and a milk-snatching Prime Minister, but for Brian (James McAvoy – THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), life seems more complicated. A working class kid commanding a wealth of general knowledge, Brian’s ambition to appear on TV’s UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE is within his grasp, but communicating with the fairer sex proves to be something of a non-starter. With a place on the show assured, Brian is ready for anything – anything except for falling in love with fellow student and team-mate Alice, that is. To complicate matters further, Brian must resist the temptation of animal rights activist Rebecca and overcome the nagging doubt that he’s about to become the pretentious student his childhood friends fear.

With a wall-to-wall soundtrack of 80s chart toppers and cameos from some of Britain’s hottest comedy talent, STARTER FOR 10 is a romantic comedy with a bittersweet edge and guaranteed to win you over.

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Compared to James McAvoy's previous picture, The Last King of Scotland, this 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 END

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Cast and crew interviews, University Challenge 80s quiz, Trailer
Year:	2006
Release Date:	April 23, 2007
Runtime:	93 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	I C O N 10104
Keywords:	For, English, Comedy, Ten, Romantic, Starter
Genre:	Comedy