Starter for 10
Picturehouse Entertainment | Release Date: February 23, 2007 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews
Positive:
20
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
USA TodayStaff [Not Credited]
Despite its awkward title, Starter for 10 is a winning coming-of-age tale told with grace and charm. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
A beautifully observed coming-of-age story. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
A surprisingly agile and delightfully warm romantic comedy.
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
There's a tidiness and affection to this British homage to John Hughes movies. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
McAvoy succeeds in making the boy's mania for trivia endearing rather than annoying. As his (delayed) love interest, Rebecca Hall, playing a campus radical and the first Jewish person he has ever encountered, is stunning. Read full review
75
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Jolly good show. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
While at times overly familiar, the film never feels self-mocking. Read full review
75
New York PostKyle Smith
Shifting the self-deprecating japery of "High Fidelity" from a record store to a quiz show makes Starter for 10 a sweetly endearing date movie. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Starter for 10 is cute and smart, just like its star triangle, and it's also well-written, acted and directed. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
The joy is in watching a talented cast make something crisp and fresh out of material that -- though perfectly adequate and enjoyable -- trespasses little into territory that's new or out of the traditionally plotted points of the genre. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
If you're inclined toward women of the smart/sly variety, you'll leave with a massive crush on Hall. You might remember her as Christian Bale's long-suffering wife in "The Prestige." Here, she comes off as a sort of college-aged, raven-tressed, human rights-obsessed Emma Thompson, only cooler. Read full review
75
San Francisco ExaminerWalter Addiego
Some nice performances and modest laughs highlight this amiable British comedy. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
McAvoy is charismatic, funny, and on the mark. Hall and Eve are both just right in their roles - bringing depth and detail to what could have been caricature parts. And if Starter for 10 takes a turn into foolhardy tragedy, it doesn't linger too long there. Read full review
70
Village VoiceScott Foundas
The result is something altogether more formulaic, but Starter for 10 nonetheless goes down easy, thanks in large part to the up-and-coming talent from across the pond and a steady infusion of the Cure, Wham!, and Tears for Fears on the soundtrack. Read full review
70
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
Starter for Ten offsets its rite-of-passage clichés with relaxed performances and an extremely likable lead. Read full review
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
McAvoy, so memorable as Idi Amin's doctor turned adviser in last year's "The Last King of Scotland," may be the most likable British newcomer since Ewan McGregor; his glistening eyes can seduce audiences with their ability to show conflicting emotions. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
For the most part, it's all fairly predictable material, although McAvoy and his costars invest the movie with dynamic performances that manage to keep the story's characters just this side of stereotype and mediocrity. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
A mildly enjoyable romantic comedy. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
This is cheeky sitcom in a minor key, and fated to be a mere footnote on McAvoy's resume. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
It's all breezy and predictable. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterRichard James Havis
The film successfully replicates the mellow charm of Brit hits "About A Boy" and "Love Actually." Read full review
60
VarietyLeslie Felperin
Showcasing the considerable talents of ubiquitous thesp James McAvoy ("The Last King of Scotland," "Penelope") and several other up-and-coming Brit actors, picture garnishes fairly standard college-set plot with wit, warmth and unexpected turns. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesSam Adams
If the journey is familiar, at least the company is good. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
The main novelty of this conventional, slight, but charming youth picture is that it's English and therefore more class-conscious than most American equivalents. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
Your basic and basically predictable by-the-numbers picture. Read full review
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