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The Rachel Papers

Play trailer Poster for The Rachel Papers R 1989 1h 35m Romance Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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45% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Poised to attend Oxford University, 19-year-old Charles Highway (Dexter Fletcher) decides it's high time to have a romantic encounter with an older woman. With the help of a computer program and several eccentric relatives, Highway sets his sights on seducing Rachel Noyce (Ione Skye), a stunning American in her 20s. However, Highway has his work cut out for him. Noyce has a boyfriend, DeForest (James Spader), and is not exactly receptive to Highway's advances -- at first, anyway.

Critics Reviews

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Barry McIlheney Empire Magazine Captures the brash boldness of the novel, but not the literary wit. A misguided affair. Rated: 2/5 Nov 8, 2013 Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times It has a brisk, well-turned-out quality that augurs well for Harris, the son of Richard Harris. Helping set and maintain the film's smart tone is Chaz Jankel and David Storrs' deft, trendy score. Nov 8, 2013 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Director Damian Harris isn't able to capture the book's special charms, and resorts to having his young hero address the camera to keep the viewer in the picture. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times Why must film-makers always be such slaves to the lowest common denominator? Rated: 2/5 Nov 8, 2013 Full Review TV Guide Martin Amis's brilliantly acerbic first novel is unpersuasively filmed as a trendy teen comedy, with its self-loathing intellectual hero transformed into a nerdy-but-lovable computer geek. Rated: 2/4 Nov 8, 2013 Full Review Betsy Bozdech DVDJournal.com Certainly fresher and more interesting than much of the teen dreck the United States was putting out at the end of the '80s. Rated: 2.5/4 Nov 6, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Eighties frumpiness. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member ***Due to the recent RT changes that have basically ruined my past reviews, I am mostly only giving a rating rather than a full review.*** Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member It's hard to say why... but this movie was always a guilty pleasure... plus this was the first time that I had seen Dexter Fletcher... recognized him when I had seen Snatch. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member (** 1/2): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img] Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Average 80s sex romp. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Not the greatest of films, Shot very much like Ferris Bueller. But some how just doesn't work. Script is not particular great either. The Actors don't give a bad performance, there is worse ways to waste two hours of your life. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Rachel Papers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Poised to attend Oxford University, 19-year-old Charles Highway (Dexter Fletcher) decides it's high time to have a romantic encounter with an older woman. With the help of a computer program and several eccentric relatives, Highway sets his sights on seducing Rachel Noyce (Ione Skye), a stunning American in her 20s. However, Highway has his work cut out for him. Noyce has a boyfriend, DeForest (James Spader), and is not exactly receptive to Highway's advances -- at first, anyway.
Director
Damian Harris
Producer
Andrew S. Karsch
Screenwriter
Damian Harris
Production Co
Initial Film and Television, Virgin, Longfellow Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 5, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA)
$154.6K
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Surround