The History Boys (2006) Reviews
- Starring:
- Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, (more)
- Director(s):
- Nicholas Hytner
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Independent Films
Member Rating
My RatingAverage Ratings
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful An excellent adaptation of the stage play, which I saw twice. Subtle differences (with the same cast ) make both productions worth seeing. The commentary from director Hytner and ... Read More An excellent adaptation of the stage play, which I saw twice. Subtle differences (with the same cast ) make both productions worth seeing. The commentary from director Hytner and playwright/screenwriter Bennett was particularly illuminating. The play won five Tony Awards, including Best Play. Richard Griffiths won the Tony for Best Actor. Expect to see these "boys" in future films. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful My wife and I really fell in love with the characters here in the first half of the movie. They were witty, provacative, and intellectually engaging. The movie transitions into a heavy-handed ... Read More My wife and I really fell in love with the characters here in the first half of the movie. They were witty, provacative, and intellectually engaging. The movie transitions into a heavy-handed homosexual encounter about half-way through and lingers there far too long. It makes a mockery of the journey these boys go on in almost every other area of their life, and the sudden homosexual theme overtakes one's desire to root for them to make it into college and succeed in life. I found myself more appalled at the sudden change in sexual exploration than excited about the storyline and characters in the movie. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful Weird movie... definitely out of line in its portrayal of an older, obese faculty member who routinely gropes his students...and apparently the school knows about it....the students accept it...and ... Read More Weird movie... definitely out of line in its portrayal of an older, obese faculty member who routinely gropes his students...and apparently the school knows about it....the students accept it...and it's all kind of winked at, as if a teachers sexual overtures towards a student are somehow understandable and expected. Besides that, the movie never really explains WHY life would be so great if the kids got into Oxford.... it seemed as if the challenge and work was expected to stop once they were accepted... Shouldn't that be the point where the hard word begins?! This movie must have had many aspects of class-status and educational values that one would have to be British to really appreciate. Don't rent it, it's a slow, boring, confused, and a bit pretentious. Rent Dead Poets Society, The Paper Chase, or, Goodbye, Mr. Chips instead. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful Yes the movie has homosexual themes, I am straight and it didn't bother me so I am wondering why it did all the other reviewers? A little repression there? The movie is interesting and makes the ... Read More Yes the movie has homosexual themes, I am straight and it didn't bother me so I am wondering why it did all the other reviewers? A little repression there? The movie is interesting and makes the point that an education is more than simply memorizing facts. You have to know the wherefors and actually think for yourself to be truly educated not just spit back what the teacher and curriculum give you.Wondering about the reviewers who call the homosexuality in the movie pedophilia, since when is being with an eighteen year old pedophilia? As for the reviewer who didn't know that Brokeback Mountain was about homosexuality, don't just look at the pictures on the box, try reading the words too. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful The description of this movie that Blockbuster provides is highly misleading. If you fantasize about a world where aging homosexuals abuse their positions of power over adolescent boys, and the ... Read More The description of this movie that Blockbuster provides is highly misleading. If you fantasize about a world where aging homosexuals abuse their positions of power over adolescent boys, and the students (and other teachers) are all fine with it, then this movie might be your cup of tea. I suspect most folks will find it appalling. Either way, Blockbuster should give people more of a clue so they can make an informed decision before renting. Sure there are member reviews, but who reads those?
If this movie was set in a Catholic School and the teachers were Priests I suspect it would get a different critical reaction. Likewise if the students were females. If you can get past the gay stuff, the rest of the movie is still pretty awful for a variety of reasons. You might want to watch it just to see examples of terrible writing and ridiculous overacting. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful A very entertaining movie--it's a bit of a musical, drama, and comedy--all in one. It's a movie anyone can enjoy and
I'm surprised by some of the reviews I've read on this site. My impression was ... Read More A very entertaining movie--it's a bit of a musical, drama, and comedy--all in one. It's a movie anyone can enjoy and
I'm surprised by some of the reviews I've read on this site. My impression was that this movie encourages the acceptance
of differences and yet some reviewers seem to have missed that completely. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful An absloutely waste of my time! What you think is about a group of students trying to make it into Oxford or Cambridge turns into a homsexual flop. Are they trying to show in this movie that every ... Read More An absloutely waste of my time! What you think is about a group of students trying to make it into Oxford or Cambridge turns into a homsexual flop. Are they trying to show in this movie that every English man is gay. Come on.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME on this one!! Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful Don't waste your time...this movie was absolutely awful. I tried to stay awake and give it the benefit of the doubt but I had to give in and just sleep through the rest of it. Unless you are trying ... Read More Don't waste your time...this movie was absolutely awful. I tried to stay awake and give it the benefit of the doubt but I had to give in and just sleep through the rest of it. Unless you are trying to cure your insomnea make a different choice. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful Wonderful movie..gay theme (unlike some reviewers write) was not hammered home..More a story of comining of age,...lead teacher was a pathetic character with a gift for teaching..Like so many ... Read More Wonderful movie..gay theme (unlike some reviewers write) was not hammered home..More a story of comining of age,...lead teacher was a pathetic character with a gift for teaching..Like so many teachers Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No |
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