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A group of history pupils at a boys' grammar school in Sheffield pursue a place at Oxford or Cambridge, where they are subjected to contrasting styles of teaching.

Set in a Sheffield grammar school in the 80s where a group of bright lads are being crammed for the Oxford and Cambridge exams. If you like Alan Bennett's writing you should love this - it is full of his usual perceptive and dry humour and contains an absolutely priceless definition of "History" (toned down slightly for the film). I enjoyed the film, starring the original stage cast, on DVD just as much as I enjoyed the play. I judge it as a film to watch again and again. The sexual sub-plot may well offend some people but I rate the film 8.4 out of 10.

Considering the rather dull title and subject matter, this film turned out to be much more interesting than expected. Fairly obviously started life as a play, so sets and action very limited, but this is more than made up for by the wit and humour. The film is simply about a group of boys being coached for their Oxbridge university entrances, but it has some darker content as one of the teachers has some inappropriate sexual attraction to the boys. Well worth watching.

Based on the acclaimed play of the same name, The History Boys is a faithful, intelligent piece of cinema, even if it is a little reluctant to stray from its theatrical roots.

Penned by Alan Bennett and set in 1982 Yorkshire, The History Boys follows a group of ?A? Level students as they?re schooled through their attempts to get into Oxbridge. Under the tutelage of Richard Griffiths? liberal Hector and Campbell Moore?s Irwin, there?s plenty here to admire. Firstly, the script crackles along, with snappy dialogue and characters well worthy of your interest. Secondly, the performances from the predominantly young cast are well worthy of note. And then there?s the deft directorial touch of Nicholas Hytner (The Madness Of King George, The Crucible), all of which lifts The History Boys into a film of real merit.

There are questions to be asked over whether you?re expected to sympathise with one or two characters in the film, of course, and there?s the aforementioned issue that it?s far too faithful to the source play (which results in an overlong running time). But ultimately, The History Boys is a witty, challenging and testing film, whose qualities outweigh its problems. --Jon Foster

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