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St. Trinian's (PG-13, 2009)

common sense media says

Quirky British boarding-school comedy has iffy messages.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this British boarding-school comedy will probably appeal most to teens who enjoy quirky and/or independent films -- though they won't find any positive role models or messages here. Although it's all played for laughs, the students engage in inappropriate behavior like selling black-market goods (including vodka) and coming up with illegal ways to save their school from ruin. There's also some salty language (though "hell" and "whore" are probably the worst of it), moderate sexuality (girls walk around in lingerie, and there's a brief glimpse of an adult man's naked bum), and a fair amount of drinking among the faculty.

Positive messages: Yes, the girls band together to keep their school from closing, but they all engage in preposterously inappropriate behavior -- like selling black-market vodka and brainstorming criminal acts like credit card fraud, robbery, kindapping, etc. It's obviously for laughs, but it's fairly consequence-free negative behavior nonetheless.
Positive role models: There aren't many positive role models in the movie, considering that the girls engage in illegal schemes and the teachers spend most of their time drunk or not paying attention to the girls, who pretty much do whatever they want at the school. In one sequence, the girls initiate a new student by videotaping her in the shower and uploading the video to the Web.
Violence: At the "worst school in Britain," girls are held by their ankles over stair rails, dragged around by farm equipment, etc. The younger girls make bombs for an elaborate heist that the students have concocted to steal a Vermeer painting. The phys ed skills include target shooting with semi-automatic weapons.
Sex: The school's "Posh Toddy" clique is overtly sexually aggressive, with the girls walking around in skimpy lingerie. The headmistress and the minister kiss and make love -- it's not graphic, but you do see his naked rear end.
Language: Mostly insults (some are British slang) like "silly cow," "whore," "shut up," "bloody hell," "toddy," and "Pikey."
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: All the teachers drink cocktails every day, and a couple are especially drunk. The first years (11-year-olds) run a black market vodka distillery out of the school.
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More on St. Trinian's

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the way British high school culture is depicted in the movie. Are there similar social castes and cliques in American high schools?
  • Boarding schools are a much bigger part of British society than American society. How are boarding schools depicted in most American movies?
  • Although the movie is a comedy, there are a lot of outlandishly negative messages about teenage behavior. What would the consequences of this kind of behavior (drinking, sexuality, etc.) be in real life?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Meet the young ladies of ST. TRINIAN'S, "the worst school in Britain." Unlike the posh (or magical, in the case of Hogwarts) British boarding schools that American audiences are used to, St. Trinian's is a scary place for girls gone wild. In this updated adaptation of Ronald Searles' cartoons about the humorously terrifying fictional school, straight-laced Annabelle (Talulah Riley) is being forced to attend St. Trinian's because it's run by her batty aunt Camilla (Rupert Everett in drag). It turns out that the minister of education (Colin Firth) wants to make an example of the failing school, which is deep in debt, but the girls formulate an elaborate scheme to swipe a famous Vermeer painting, sell it, and save St. Trinian's.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

A huge hit in the UK, St. Trinian's comedy translates fairly well across the pond, but a familiarity with British teens and colloquialisms helps. Of the girls, the clear stand out is Head Girl Kelly (Gemma Arterton, who played Strawberry Fields in The Quantum of Solace and is clearly headed for leading roles. But the movie is considerably bolstered by the supporting players (Everett, Firth, Russell Brand, and Stephen Fry) and a memorable soundtrack dominated by Lily Allen.  

The movie includes several inside jokes -- the best being the many references to Pride and Prejudice, which features Firth walking across a field wearing a sopping-wet white shirt. Everett's Camilla is an obvious but amusing dig at Prince Charles' wife, and Brand's Flash, a petty criminal who instructs the girls in the criminal arts, is, as always, creepily charming. U.S. teens may not get all of the English jokes, but it's always fun to see underdog misfits triumph.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: NeoClassics Films
Director: Oliver Parker
Cast: Colin Firth, Lena Headey, Rupert Everett
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: October 9, 2009
DVD release: January 26, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: thematic elements, drug and alcohol content, sexual material and language
This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

leahxo
teen, 15 years old
10
 
Give Me Back My Two Hours.
To be honest, I was not even paying attention most of the time because I was dozing off to sleep. A complete waste of time.
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helped me decide (4) | had useful details (5) | read my mind (4)
MediaMonkey1999
kid, 13 years old
13
 
St Trinians- Iffy for 12+
St Trinians Isn't the kind of film you Want to watch staight away after you've bought it, but it is a film that shows promise. It is generally funny althrough and stars quite a lot of famous people: Toby Jones Stephen Fry. Celia Imrie Tallulah Riley Colin Firth. Rupert Everett - as a woman :- Lily Cole. Palohma Faith. Girls Aloud. Russel Brand and Someother people you may recconise. But why I rated it iffy was the plot wasn't as good as it could've been + it says on the age bit on the back about drugs and kissing, but it didn't mention the swearing! :( But it is a good film. :)
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juicystar
kid, 13 years old
13
 
older kids not little
actually pretty funny!! lol it was a laugh
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9hemmatip
teen, 14 years old
15
 
no.
HORRIBLE RUDE MOVIE ON GIRL STEREOTYPES!!
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smallfry99
kid, 12 years old
10
 
FAB!
OMG funny!!! I love the twins, the 10 year olds! They're so funny!!! Yeah, there is a bit of swearing and you see a girl running around the corridors naked (although she's covering herself with her hands) and people filming her. But who cares, it's funny!
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