Educating Rita (1983)

Michael Caine Movie #4

Synopsis: Michael Caine’s a drunk; Julie Walters doesn’t want to flunk; together, they discuss literature and junk. [Ok, that was awful – please forgive me, I’m just trying to get through my backlog of movie reviews before midnight]

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Michael Caine and Julie Waters develop a highly unusual teacher-student relationship in this smashing comedy about a young working-class woman on the path to self-discovery.” 

What Did I Learn?: 1) Assonance is getting the rhyme wrong. 2) People may get the wrong idea if they see you reading "Of Human Bondage."

You Might Like This Movie If: You know you can learn a lot from a loveable drunk.

 

Really?: 1) So wait – Rita’s roommate is suicidal? How did this subplot develop? Shouldn’t there have been some foreshadowing, or something? 2) I’m still shocked that Denny would find those birth control pills. That was an amazing coincidence. 

Rating: Michael Caine once said that Educating Rita was his favourite of the films he did, and it’s easy to see why. The movie is funny, intelligently-written, and filled with a sparkling chemistry between Caine and Walters, although the roommate subplot seems tacked-on. Highly recommended. 9/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/?ref_=nv_sr_1