Starter for 10: A Nostalgic Nod to Quizzing Dreams

Oh, good gravy! “Starter for 10” took me on quite the journey down memory lane, straight back to those days when I was a nervy student griping about exams over a fika at the campus café. Directed by Tom Vaughan, this flick isn’t just about the quiz competitions at British universities, it’s a quirky love letter to the bittersweet mess of growing up.

James McAvoy—who you might remember from “Atonement” or even “X-Men: First Class”—plays Brian, a working-class lad with a mind full of trivia and a heart brimming with ambition. And looking at him, I can’t help but glance at my own photos, a bit more hair and wide-eyed hopes intact back in the day.

Funny ying-yang thing is, the film dips its toes in romance, awkwardly but sweetly, with Alice Eve (lovely gal from “She’s Out of My League”) and Rebecca Hall lighting the screen. It’s got that youthful mix of jellylike love triangles, sprinkled with awkward moments. Benedict Cumberbatch pipes up too, and it’s a hoot to see him far earlier than his sharp-suited “Sherlock” days.

I remember back when Standing with fingers crossed outside exam halls, debating whether all-nighters were genius or lunacy. Ellie Goulding’s tunes played on the radio in the backdrop, much like the way The Cure and The Smiths tie nostalgic knots in the air here.

Watching this makes you ponder: is it the chase for knowledge or the camaraderie in those university corridors that we truly miss? That’s university life for you—messy, fun, and, well, sometimes plain random!

So grab some ‘kanelbullar’, steer clear of the spoilers and indulge in this relatable British trip down memory lane. Admittedly, the romance feels like glancing at clumsy teenage journal entries, but honestly—who doesn’t love a bit of nostalgia?

Check the trailer below