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The History Boys

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Play-turned-movie grapples with sexuality, life.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Characters lie and cheat to get ahead; students have a decidedly un-hysterical repsonse to a teacher's sexual advances toward them; Muslim student must instruct his peers and teachers what being Muslim means; Jewish student suggests that being Jewish limits his options ("I'm a Jew, I'm small, I live in Sheffield, I'm f--ked"). The boys and their teachers honestly care about each other, but their relationships are complex.
  • Violence:

    References to historical wars (shell shock, memorials, friendly fire); off-screen traffic accident results in a character's death and another's injury.
  • Sex:

    Thematic focus on homosexual teachers/students negotiating their interests in each other; a teacher has a propensity for fondling students' "thighs" one student has affair with female secretary (one scene shows them in bed, in underwear); students act out a scene in a bordello to practice French, and one boy drops his pants, showing boxers. Reference to "foreskin" some sexual slang ("wanker," "c--t," "nancy," "balls," "dick"). Characters proposition each other.
  • Language:

    Several uses of "f--k" (10+), plus other language, like "s--t" (5+), and some colorful phrasing ("piss my life away"). British slang.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Student smokes cigarettes; students pretend to smoke cigarettes to act out a scene from Now, Voyager; champagne drinking in celebration.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The History Boys

Parents need to know that kids, even older teens, probably won't be very interested in this small, talky British film based on Alan Bennett's award-winning play. Several central characters -- both students and teachers -- are homosexual and struggling with their desires. Treated in a mature way, this theme is addressed through clever, occasionally explicit dialogue (but no graphic imagery). The movie doesn't outright condemn the teachers' desire or suggest that the boys are damaged when one awkward instructor regularly "handles their nuts." In one scene, a student takes off his trousers (you see boxers) to act out a skit in class; in another, he's in bed with a female secretary (they're talking, post-sex, no explicit nudity). A fatal traffic accident occurs off-screen, and characters mourn the resulting death. Characters smoke and use "f--k" and strong other language.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the differences between the students' and teachers' ambitions. How do the boys learn to make use of their two teachers' different styles of learning? How do the boys "come of age" in different ways? Also, how does the movie show multiple points of view through conversations and camerawork? And how do the movie's dialogue and staging show that it was based on a play? How is the movie's treatment of its characters' homosexuality similar to and different from the way sexuality is addressed in other movies and TV shows?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 2.0

    very confusing...

    I didn't understand it at all.. I understood the basic parts of the story but when it ended I felt like I was missing something, which led me to believe that there is something deeper that I didn't grasp

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Great film and a real eye opener

    This movie was an exelent film because it was about life and how everyone lives it differently. The boys speak their minds and they're so open about who they are. What I love about this film is that everything is in the open air so there really aren't any secrets. They are accepting of each other's differences. I love this movie!

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    A brilliant film. Yes, it's for young adults, too.

    The acting is superb, and the subject matter is addressed in a thoughtful and provocative way. Do not shield the teens from this film. They may not have an interest, or admit they have, but I'll bet that those who watch it will come away enlightened, and in some cases, relieved.

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