Newly enrolled Bristol student Brian Jackson is thrilled when he is chosen for the University’s Challenge team, giving him an opportunity to appear on University Challenge, a college quiz show he grew up watching on television with his father. While at Bristol, Brian befriends Rebecca, a left-leaning Jewish student, and falls for Alice, his sexy Challenge teammate.
Starter for 10 is, at its heart, a romantic comedy. It follows the genre’s proper beats but does so with sharp wit and a lot of 80s nostalgia. Not to mention a killer soundtrack. It also showcases James McAvoy’s ability as a charming leading man. He carries the film as Brian, a young man striving for knowledge while getting caught up in the drama and angst that can accompany one’s first year at university.
But it’s more than just lust, love, and heartache. The movie doesn’t shy away from what people in England were going through under Margaret Thatcher’s leadership. Income inequality and massive unemployment were issues largely ignored by Thatcher and her government. While the movie doesn’t focus solely on these issues, they’re certainly subjects touched upon, especially as they directly affect Brian’s best friend, Spencer (Dominic Cooper). One could say Starter for 10 is coming-of-age fare, and I wouldn’t argue that. But these problems feel more significant than, say, a bunch of high schoolers attempting to lose their virginity before prom.
Alice Eve, as Alice, gives depth to a role that might have been fairly thankless on paper – a beautiful blonde who is using the University Challenge as “experience” on her way to becoming a TV host while leading Brian on in the process. While Eve may be playing a superficial character, she’s a strong enough actress to make Alice both likable and… not. Even if you know she’s not the right woman for Brian, she doesn’t feel like a love interest who is merely a shallow throwaway. McAvoy and Eve have pleasant enough chemistry, but the real sparks fly when he is on screen with Rebecca Hall, who, yes, plays Rebecca.
Rebecca is the antithesis of Alice. Dark-haired, sharp, and intelligent in her own right, Rebecca is constantly spotted by Brian passing out flyers for her next left-wing protest. Rebecca isn’t oblivious that Alice only sees Brian as a friend, yet she waits for Brian to open his eyes and figure it out for himself. And perhaps she provides him with a gentle push.
The supporting cast is just as entertaining, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch as Patrick, the uptight postgraduate captain of the Challenge team. He’s insanely obnoxious and unlikeable, yet his physical comedy during a fight with Spencer is one of the funniest moments in the movie. It reminded me a lot of Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver’s “fight” in Bridget Jones’s Diary; only Patrick is both Mark and Daniel in this fight, and it is humorously painful to watch.
One thing I appreciated about Starter for 10 was that it did not bend to the predictable Hollywood ending. Brian finds his footing, but that doesn’t mean everything works out perfectly as it might in a more traditional romantic comedy. It was realistic and yet still satisfying to me. I am not sure if Starter for 10 will end up in my rom-com rotation, but I certainly enjoyed it, and maybe I’ll revisit it again in the future. It’s a smart rom-com with a pitch-perfect cast and just enough drama. I definitely recommend giving this one a watch!
Watched: 01/15/2025
Notable Song: Lovesong by The Cure
