The History Boys

Disclaimer: for the purposes of this film I have left out most plot details as I feel it adds to seeing this movie therefore the majority of this review is solely my reaction to viewing the film

I picked up "The History Boys" on a whim as I was browsing through the library the other day. I had heard the buzz that surrounded the play production of this story about 8 English boys determined to get into a good University. So when I found out that the original cast had come together to make the movie version I was quite intrigued. I thought a light-hearted movie about the wonders of education would be just the thing to watch on a lazy Saturday night and I will admit to thinking this would be kind of like the UK version of "Dead Poets Society." Boy was I wrong...

Not only is this one of the raunchiest films I have ever seen, but I am not entirely sure I got the point of it. While there was the underlying plot that youth is so bent on learning facts as facts in order to get places that they do not truly learn, the majority of this film focused a good deal on sexual content. I was definitely not prepared for this. And while a good deal of films today deal with sex, this plot was something that most people deem quite seedy and yet the act itself was dismissed at the end as nothing. Any morality points, or points on education were lost to me as I continued to be horrified by the nonchalant manner in which sexual indiscretions (this is an understatement) were handled. Needless to say I can only imagine how this was done as a play, but from the praise it might have been a bit better.

I am also fully aware that time and cultural differences may play into some of my thoughts on this film. But needless to say I was a bit disappointed and a good deal shocked upon my viewing of it. But that's just my viewpoint on the film, and judging from others reviews about it people have generally enjoyed the film. Here is the trailer for it: