The History Boys (2006)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

One of my all time favorites.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

no doubt - it is more stage than set. but this is one of virtues. because, in strange manner, it does it alive. the acting, the dialogues, the tension - including the sexual tension - the characters who propose models and attitudes , show vulnerabilities and defines the small details who makes in the profound sense teaching. a film who has all - humor and clever script, the best actors and science to use the stereotypes in seductive manner. because it is more a film about dreams and self definition, about courage to give and to inspire the right manner to assume the life. sure, Richard Griffiths is great . but it is not a surprise. the good point is the wise balance between themes and portraits and styles. and the optimistic message. maybe, a film about school. but , more important, a film about freedom making.

I think the film did not just show the traditions of the old method of teaching but also the new way which teaching has taken a turn for and how they both can be linked together to form a master piece of teaching styles and enjoyment. The drama in the film on the other hand I have to admit I felt as though Hector is the personality of both sex teachers because even female teachers find themselves in the role of wanting their younger students even though they cant really help themselves they still fight their way through it regardless. Therefore I feel that Hector can not be seen just as a man but as a teacher figure head of those that struggle and do not wish to admit it to themselves I think it might even be common enough where teachers should have counselling sessions regarding these unwanted feelings, however yes we cannot say for sure that those are unwanted. I think that the film was extremely funny but had some serious moments and life changing decisions took place without anyone actually taking the first step to realizing the outcome of their moves.

It's 1983 Yorkshire. A group of smart boys at Cutlers' Grammar School are being prepared by their eager headmaster to go to Oxford or Cambridge. He brings in new teacher Irwin to achieve that goal. Irwin teaches them to think the opposite and game the exam system. History teacher Mrs Lintott is more traditional. Friendly enthusiastic teacher Hector don't teach to exams and is pushed by the headmaster for early retirement after some homosexual tendencies with one of the boys. David Posner is a Jewish student struggling with his own homosexuality. Stuart Dakin is the hot guy that he pines for.It's very British and I find the whole world a little odd. The class work is different. The guys are not chasing girls and that has nothing to do with the homosexuality. Hector is the flashy character but I actually find Irwin the more compelling character. Posner is the star character among the kids but Samuel Barnett is not that charismatic. This material is great but some of the humor eludes me.

I give this film an Alan Partridge-esque "a mixed bag" rating. Some of it is good some of it not so much. I don't normally watch films but I saw it was an Alan Bennett film (or at least based on his play) and I knew he was some sort of renown playwright so I was expecting something a step up from a McDonalds burger and that's what I got. The downside for me was all the homosexual stuff, if I wanted a film about that I'd watch gay porn, unnecessary I though. The interesting stuff was coaching the boys to take a step up the rotten class system, and some alternative views on history which I can see has upset some here who get their history lessons from Saving Ryan's Privates, but that's good I guess, thought provoking! I had to keep switching over to see if Jake Bugg was on iTunes 2013 yet so I missed bits and pieces. It is perhaps relevant to the extend that the chances of someone like Bugg every going to Oxford lies somewhere between zero and minus infinity!!The film gropes at pupil teacher sex (albeit homosexual)and the consequences which I suppose has some merit. I would not say it was captivating but I would watch it again to see the bits I missed. Obviously with it being a play it is mainly dialogue and it has a fair bit of humour in it, particularly teacher v class banter. Can't really say I felt much empathy with the characters though.It was interesting that the guy with no academic ability got selected because his father once worked at the Oxford, stuck a chord with me as I remember being interviewed at Bristol Uni and being told I was one of the few people who got a particular question on electronics (my course) right. Interesting in that they still rejected me!! Bastards!! I noticed all the other candidate were far posher than me too, I guess I lost points for unbuttoning my collar on a boiling hot day. The other candidates looked like stuck up snooty bank clerks, they were no doubt all given offers despite being unable to answer a question which required some real intelligence rather than coaching. I received no coaching from my 'could not care less' comprehensive obviously.So the unfairness of the whole process is quite interesting, the double standards, the real world aspect. Yea so it is pretty clever overall and pretty honest, you see the stuff which is usually swept under the carpet.I initially gave it a 7 but realised it deserved more hence I gave 8 but finally 10 because it is worth watching and ultimately there are only two film categories total crap or worth watching and it is the latter. Let's face it who watches 7/10ths of a film? First film I have watched in years, I am not a film person really so surprised I am writing a review!!I had expected it to be like the Dead Poets Society but the is no literary romance here (just some gay romance) and there is no great acting except in the sense of making ordinary pupils and staff look ordinary. I felt no emotional attachment to any of the characters, they are not from my working class world, they share non of my values, they are all human shells with nothing of value inside, they are not from my planet.So there it is, my first and maybe my last film review so be gentle with me.As I started off giving what would be Alan Partridge's opinion of the film, I feel for the purpose of balance, it is only fair to give what would be the opinion of his alter ego Paul Calf, which would of course be, "a bag of shite".Interesting perhaps how both Alan and Paul use the 'bag' analogy, neither being tainted by the overly verbose and flowery language used by those with nothing of value to say.I have no doubt Paul would be heading for the nearest bar within ten minutes, and who could blame him?