here's another starter for 10 (Starter For 10 (DVD))

Member Name: SaveFerris

Product:	Starter For 10 (DVD)
Date:	16/06/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great feel good comedy

Disadvantages: not obvious enough for some tastes

It's 1985. Thatcher's Britain, The Cure, Back to the Future and er... University Challenge. At least that's how Brian (James McAvoy) sees it. Wielding excessive and somewhat useless grasp of general knowledge, Brian dreams of one day appearing on the famous quiz show.

Of course, first, he has to go to university and once there he finds that there's more to know about life than the sort of thing you find in quiz shows.

British comedies have become almost automatic hits over the years, and thanks to this, many of them have become lazy or worse, over ambitious.

Starter for 10 is a throw back to when British comedies were content to be what they were, almost as if they never expected to be watched anyway and never felt the need to pander to any preconceptions. In fact, chances are most have never heard of it.

What we have here is a real feel good, slightly touching, very funny film. This is mostly thanks to an amazing cast. McAvoy is perfect in an early role as eager but good natured Brian. Both of the girls are brilliant in different ways. Alice (Alice Eve) the pretty but by no means stereotyped fellow team-mate and the object of Brians affections and Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) as a student with a conscience who befriends the hapless Brian.

Watch out for small roles from British comedy giants Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show, Doctor Who) and James Corden (Gavin and Stacey), but special mention has to go to the wonderfully monikered Benedict Cumberbatch as anal quiz team captain Patrick. It's a shame when an actor is recognized for being so capably anal, but Patrick provides alot of the films best laughs, albeit unintentionally.

Giving a great sense of nostalgia, this film succeeds on so many levels which is impressive since all the elements are handled with a wonderful subtlety.

For me, Starter for 10 gets 10 out of 10.

Summary: brilliant film that somehow slipped under the radar.