Bristol University: McAvoy up to challenge as 'Starter' quiz kid

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(Free-Press-Release.com) March 10, 2007 -- Brian Jackson wants to know everything. Existing on the notion that "knowledge is power," he fills his head with trivial facts, leaves his humble, working-class home in Essex and heads to Bristol University, where he realizes his lifelong dream of appearing on England's televised quiz show "University Challenge."

"Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be clever," says Brian in voiceover. "Some people are born clever, the same way that some people are born beautiful. I'm not one of those people."

True, Brian (James McAvoy) is neither a brainiac nor conventionally handsome, but he manages to attract both a blond bombshell and a pretty brunet activist almost immediately upon his arrival at the university. Of course he goes for the blond, who one automatically thinks would be out of his league, but director Tom Vaughan doesn't fall into the trap of stereotyping her for plot purposes.

"Starter for 10" has been compared to John Hughes' teen angst movies, but aside from some class conflict and '80s New Wave soundtrack similarities, "Starter" has a more mature sensibility, partly because the action takes place in college and not in high school, and also because Vaughan -- in his feature debut -- is able to refrain from obvious characterizations. Alice (Alice Eve) is smarter than your average movie blond, she has goals and she genuinely likes Brian. Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) is not one-dimensional, either; she's politically active on campus but not fanatical, and even though she's confident and intelligent, she does show some vulnerabilty.

So Rebecca and Brian remain friends as Brian pursues a more romantic relationship with Alice, though from the get-go both women seem to have enough self-awareness to know exactly how it's really going to play out.

Source: http://www.yahoo.com
POSTED BY TERESA BUDASI