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Starter for 10

Play trailer Poster for Starter for 10 PG-13 Released Feb 23, 2007 1h 36m Romance Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 80 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Brian Jackson (James McAvoy), a working-class youth from Essex, gets a chance to prove himself when he is accepted to respected Bristol University. As Brian navigates his way through his first year there, he finds romance with two pretty students (Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall) and tries out for a popular TV program called "University Challenge."
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Starter for 10

Starter for 10

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Critics Consensus

Starter For 10 is a spirited coming-of-age tale that remains charming and witty even as it veers into darker teritory. The unique setting of a quiz show makes the film wittier than your average romantic comedy.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Conventional, slight, but charming. Dec 4, 2007 Full Review Chris Tilly Time Out This is expertly crafted entertainment that follows all the beats of a traditional romantic comedy, but it's done with such sincerity that it's difficult to begrudge the odd descent into clich. Sep 22, 2007 Full Review David Fear Time Out There's nothing here we haven't seen done better before. Rated: 2/6 Sep 22, 2007 Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter McAvoy is piling up an impressive resume of leading-guy roles for an actor who doesn't at first glance possess leading-guy looks. May 21, 2020 Full Review Troy Patterson Spin Adhering to every convention of the coming-of-age film in a sneakily alluring way and flirting with cliche without slobbering all over it, this sweet little date-night flick is built to charm everyone's inner 18-year-old. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 25, 2019 Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List While the love story is predictable, the amusing quiz show storyline and excellent post-new wave soundtrack almost make up for it. Rated: 3/5 Nov 3, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ralph R Starter for 10 is a fun and entertaining movie, and it’s even better because it stars three of my favorite actors—James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Alice Eve. James is great as Brian Jackson, a college student trying to fit in at university and make it onto the "University Challenge" quiz team. He really nails the mix of awkwardness and ambition, making his character super relatable. Benedict is hilarious as the overly serious team captain, and Alice Eve adds a lot of charm as Brian’s crush. The cast really makes this movie shine, even if the story itself is pretty predictable. It’s your classic coming-of-age tale, but it’s done in such a fun way with a lot of humor and heart. The soundtrack and 1980s vibe give it a nostalgic feel, and while it’s not perfect, it’s just one of those movies that’s really enjoyable to watch. If you love these actors like I do, it’s definitely worth checking out. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Jack S A surprise in the finale plus an exceptional cast distinguish Starter For 10 from some otherwise pretty familiar rom-com material. McAvoy for example, is sensational as the callow student. Plus, Cumberbatch is a standout as a seriously uptight quiz team captain. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/14/24 Full Review KB B Every now and then it's nice to watch a light,feel good film. This had great acting and storyline. It's definitely worth the watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/07/24 Full Review Michael Antony A Mikey's Movie Review: 'Starter For 10' (2006) With a title that will likely confuse people ouside of the UK (it refers to a catchphrase on the TV show University Challenge), this is a lovely little Brit-Com starring James McAvoy, Dominic Cooper, Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall, Charles Dance, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Gattis... oh, and pre Late Night fame James Corden. Mikey's Movie Rating: 3/5* Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/24/23 Full Review miki t heavenly handsome James! and classic story. wonderful!also little bit of Bennedict. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/24 Full Review Emilliano Jr S Feel good romantic 80's vibe with superb post new wave soundtrack and a young Professor X & Dr. Strange. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Starter for 10

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Brian Jackson (James McAvoy), a working-class youth from Essex, gets a chance to prove himself when he is accepted to respected Bristol University. As Brian navigates his way through his first year there, he finds romance with two pretty students (Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall) and tries out for a popular TV program called "University Challenge."
Director
Tom Vaughan
Producer
Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Pippa Harris
Screenwriter
David Nicholls
Distributor
Picturehouse
Production Co
Scamp Film and Theatre Ltd., HBO Films, Neal Street Productions, Playtone Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Sexual Content|Scene of Drug Use|Language)
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 23, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$210.1K
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS
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