Starter for 10

Starter for 10 **1/2

Directed by Tom Vaughan
Written by David Nicholls based on his book.

Starring:
James McAvoy as Brian Jackson
Rebecca Hall as Rebecca Epstein
Alice Eve as Alice
Elaine Tan as Lucy
Benedict Cumberbatch as Patrick

96 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and a scene of drug use.)
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"Starter for 10" is in fact two films for the price of one-one very funny and interesting, and the other one not so much. I think that the fatal problem with it ends up being the romance subplot, which is a trifle more sophisticated than a typical Hollywood romance film(this one is British), and it's clear as to how that portion of the film will end-while the second half is a bit more unpredictable. This is more of James McAvoy, and if he wasn't so good in "The Last King of Scotland" a mere six months or so apart from this one I wouldn't have minded his rather bland turn here. The one word review for "Starter for 10" would probably be "diverting," because it is exactly that. A mildly entertaining diversion for about ninety minutes where you won't walk away thrilled nor blown away. It's just romance.

"Starter for 10" introduces us to Brian Jackson. All his life he would watch those game shows with his dad, and always developing a thirst for general knowledge. He always liked the feeling of knowing everything-of knowing a lot in a wide range of topics. Brian decides that the best place to go to university, and he leaves his widowed mother, and his two best friends behind-while one of his friends just gives him one piece of advice-"Don't become a wanker." Brian knows that he'll be in for something strange at university, especially when his two roommates let him in while wearing dresses. A few hours later he meets Rebecca Epstein, a young Jewish woman which has Brian all flustered because he never met a Jewish woman before. And on the way home from the party he sees a flyer for the "University Challenge," a quiz show on national television which tests general knowledge categories. Brian goes and meets the devoted Patrick, who has lost three years in a row to the same team. our people take the test, and only three of them can make it and Patrick is the loser. But because of an accident with one of the other team mates he ends up making it, and becomes the star player. His only problem is that he is attracted to Alice, the blonde bimbo on the team who has had more boyfriends than Brian probably has pairs of socks, and even though they did go out once, and even though they seem like they would be good friends, we know that they are never meant to be-a factor that Brian doesn't seem to understand even when him and Rebecca have the best New Year's Eve ever. And then there is the looming University Challenge coming up, where Brian decides that he must wow Alice with his advanced general knowledge.

Now the game show elements were somewhat fun, and very witty-especially Patrick's rivalry with the other team that they have to play. And there is a nice turn of events with that subplot that I was pretty shocked about. But it is the deadly romance bit that killed it for me. In the beginning it wasn't too bad, but as it slowly engulfed the plot I began to roll my eyes. That and the horrible, over the top, music made the music in "Shopgirl' seem mellow. I suppose that James McAvoy is charming enough for a leading man, and Rebecca Hall is quite beautiful, but the little chemistry that they had in the few scenes that they had together was not convincing enough, and the presented relationship between Brian and Alice was somewhat annoying. "Starter for 10" has plenty of sitcom moments(seeing Alice's parents nude in the kitchen while stoned!), and soap opera drama scenes(Brian saying the wrong girl's name while he is kissing the right girl!), but also enough nail-biting suspense to make it all worthwhile. It is an amusing little ditty that will become a footnote on McAvoy's resume-way way down the list after "The Last King of Scotland," and even "Rory O'Shea Was Here." It isn't anything that you should drive out of your way to go see, but if you need something light after all the heavy Oscar contenders, than this is probably a decent choice. Those who aren't fans of the quirky British humor should be warned too-the strange cross-dressing bits may come as a surprise.