Educating Rita

PG

Released Sep 21, 1983

1h 50m

Comedy

Drama

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List

82%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Rita (Julie Walters), a married hair stylist in her 20s, wants to go back to school. She begins studying with Dr. Bryant (Michael Caine), a professor using alcohol to cope with his divorce. Despite his personal problems, Dr. Bryant helps Rita realize her academic potential. In turn, her passion for learning revitalizes his love of teaching. However, when Rita's blue-collar spouse learns that his wife is more interested in education than homemaking, he becomes frustrated by her independence.

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Alec B

The intimacy of the play is ruined by the film's pointless expansion of it's world (who cares about anyone else except for Rita and Frank?) so even though Walters and Caine give excellent performances all of the potentially interesting themes get lost in boring secondary material.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

isla s

I thought this was a really good film, with important themes and I liked that both of the main characters were flawed in their own ways. I also liked learning about their partners and friends. If I were to be critical, I'd say it did feel slightly formulaic towads the end - however it is over 30 years old (and it does sound quite dated as far as the music/soundtrack is concerned, which I suppose is to be expected) but I liked it in terms of the elements of social commentary it contained. I felt I could relate to Rita in some respects and I also understood where the tutor, Frank Bryant, was coming from. The performances from the big name cast members (regarding Frank Bryant played by Michael Caine and Rita, played by Julie Walters) was very good and I thought it was a well made film, a thought provoking one.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Ethan T

Educating Rita is predictable and horrendously scored by Hentschel in a distracting blare of synths, albeit in true 80s style. Walters and Caine keep things afloat admirably, but their scenes together dwarf all of theirs apart and the minor characters are quite dull. Based on a play. I think that many of the film's charms remain thanks to the stage adaptation and in spite of the additional features such as the soundtrack that have aged poorly. I must say, though, that the transformation of Rita from novice to near-genius was glossed over to a strange extent and that Walters did not really play the middle stages at all. Caine dips in well and clearly relishes his busy character arc apart from a recurring storyline with his wife that seems unsure whether to play for laughs or tug on the heartstrings. Perhaps it would be a stretch to call Educating Rita a timeless classic, but it's harmless enough to trundle peacefully on as Caine and Walters deservedly retain recognition for other works despite getting awards attention for this back in the day. Special mention must go to the ending that struck a satisfyingly hollow chord considering the flawed nature of the characters rather than chasing something silly.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/29/21

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Audience Member

Poor Frank. There's no sentimental ending, some good twists, some dusty bookshelves and a broken middle aged man. It's a decent storyline and ages ok.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Audience Member

A nice segway from a Bond film to a former Bond director, Lewis Gilbert's glorious comedy drama is a respite from the guns and explosions of the first two films on this list. Michael Caine and Julie Walters are brilliant, as you already know I'm sure, and Educating Rita remains endlessly watchable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

kevin w

George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion gets a modern era redo in this capable personality vehicle for it's leads; Michael Caine and Julie Walters. It's she that desires a higher education "to better herself" in this version which highlights changing attitudes since Shaw first presented his "scandalous" ideas about women's liberation, not him. And he...he may not be so sure as to whether societal advancement is worth the bother. The film only teases at a romance, and is more a commentary about social change since Victorian times, howbeit entertaining presented.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Lewis Gilbert

Director

Michael Caine

Dr. Frank Bryant

Julie Walters

Rita, aka Susan

Michael Williams

Brian

Maureen Lipman

Trish

Jeananne Crowley

Julia

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Willy Russell’s engaging stage play, combined with the charm of Julie Walters and Michael Caine in the lead roles, produces a riff on Pygmalion that breaks free of its theatrical origins.

Aug 30, 2022

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

If only I'd been able to believe they were actually reading the books, then everything else would have fallen into place. But I didn't believe it.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: 4/5

Aug 20, 2003

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Roger Moore

Movie Nation

A true classic, one of the finest films of the ’80s, a high point for Caine, Walters and Gilbert

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 1, 2022

Full Review

Octavi Marti

El Pais (Spain)

A restrained and classic film, with a correct prose, but with no imagination. [Full Review in Spanish]

Feb 10, 2020

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David N. Butterworth

La Movie Boeuf

Time has not been kind to "Educating Rita."

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 17, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

Rita (Julie Walters), a married hair stylist in her 20s, wants to go back to school. She begins studying with Dr. Bryant (Michael Caine), a professor using alcohol to cope with his divorce. Despite his personal problems, Dr. Bryant helps Rita realize her academic potential. In turn, her passion for learning revitalizes his love of teaching. However, when Rita's blue-collar spouse learns that his wife is more interested in education than homemaking, he becomes frustrated by her independence.

Director: Lewis Gilbert
Producer: Herbert L. Oakes
Screenwriter: Willy Russell
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, RCA/Columbia
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 1983, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Jan 24, 2006
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Stereo