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The Rachel Papers

Play trailer Poster for The Rachel Papers R 1989 1h 35m Romance Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
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 11/08/2013
2/5
Captures the brash boldness of the novel, but not the literary wit. A misguided affair. Go to Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times 11/08/2013
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. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
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. Go to Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times 11/08/2013
2/5
Why must film-makers always be such slaves to the lowest common denominator? Go to Full Review TV Guide 11/08/2013
2/4
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. Go to Full Review Betsy Bozdech DVDJournal.com 11/06/2006
2.5/4
Certainly fresher and more interesting than much of the teen dreck the United States was putting out at the end of the '80s. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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06/13/2015 Eighties frumpiness. See more 11/20/2014 ***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.*** See more 08/18/2014 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. See more 06/30/2014 (** 1/2): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img] See more 10/11/2013 Average 80s sex romp. See more 09/27/2013 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. See more Read all reviews
The Rachel Papers

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Damian Harris

Director

Dexter Fletcher

Charles Highway

Ione Skye

Rachel Noyce

Jonathan Pryce

Norman

James Spader

Deforest

Bill Paterson

Gordon Highway

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The Rachel Papers

The Rachel Papers (1989) The Rachel Papers (1989) View more photos

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
Longfellow Pictures, Virgin, Initial Film and Television
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