I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The first must-see film of the year.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

ER is an interesting film that kind of grows on you, as you watch it, which is only because of the chemistry between two great actors, Caine, as the inebriated and huggable professor, who doesn't mind the odd drink or ten, and Walter as the budding new student who wants to learn everything. She takes an instant liking to him, but he too quickly warms to her, where something more than the normal one on one, arrangement between student and teacher, takes place. It's a true friendship, a bond as you will, about two people who need each other more than they know. Knowing that, the movie is adapted from a very known stage play, there were only a couple of moments (I won't tell you where) that were kind of stupid, or forced, heralded by film's sudden music score. Other than that, ER is a very enjoyable comedy/drama, which raised a few laughs at Walter's hand. I first saw the film 32 yrs ago, so I would of found it funnier back that. When I think of fine actors, that have maintained being fine actors, Michael Caine is the first one that's come to mind. He's never dropped his guard, and has never, never given a bad performance, and I'd challenge anyone to question that or defy my opinion. Here, like so many films, he's at top form, sadly, missing an Oscar win. He's marvelous, and we really feel for his character, if at times, getting really angry by his arrogance or pig headed attitude to stop, and face what he's doing to himself, and get himself together, the greatest example, of when he tears up his thesis. Funnily enough, less than six months later, he would appear on the screens again, as another drunk, this time in The Honorary Consul, another great performance, and another drunk we can't help feeling sympathy for, although here, his performance is better, among so many other great performances. I felt less sympathy for his drunk character here, though. Now onto Walters, who just captivated me, or I should even say, capsulated, when I first saw her, 32 years ago. I had never seen this actress, in any thing before, but boy if this was a breakthrough performance, she's pass with distinction. Her performance just had me. Believe it or not, even though I hate to admit it, my favorite scene was the last. I don't think I've seen a more affecting farewell scene in my life. I did too, like how the film was shot, with that above or artificial light, like in Lady Chatterly's Lover, Priest Of Love, that suited the university atmosphere, perfectly. Make a date with Frank and Rita.

I thoroughly enjoyed Educating Rita. In the opening scenes pre-Rita it seems rather dull and boring whilst we follow the drunk professor Frank, but Rita's arrival introduces comedy and a happier mood. She makes you want to keep watching to see how her life develops and her character evolves as she is educated. It highlights the class system and the stereotypical roles of the sexes. Rita, as an uneducated "common" woman is looked down on by her peers at university and those in her personal life who expect her to have children and stay home to raise a family and play the doting wife to her simpleminded husband. Frank, as an educated man gets away with having a drinking problem because he is considered to be of a higher class and more intelligent.The movie teaches us that education in the academic sense is not necessarily something that will improve your life- gaining life experience and finding yourself is how you become a better and wiser person who is confident and able to stand on your own two feet. Even though Frank is educated he is still not happy and remains a drunk, only finding happiness in his time tutoring Rita before she becomes engrossed in student life and has less time for him. He becomes nasty and realizes she has outgrown him. She becomes less simple but is still unhappy and sets out to try and fix Frank. Thus only when she realizes that she is equal to those around her and not inferior does she realize that she can be happy and stop trying to fit in and care what others think about her. Education is something huge for those who do not have it and very often taken for granted by those who are given it. Rita breaks the mold and in the end it is she herself who educated=s herself and not the university alone.

Whilst this is entertaining and well acted by the two leads the question remains do we really need a new take on Pygmalion given that both the Lesley Howerd-Wendy Hiller film adaptation of the straight play and the Rex Harrison-Audrey Hepburn musical version My Fair Lady are both available on DVD. Willy Russell is, of course, something of a dab hand at reworking well established material as in his reworking of The Corsican Brothers as Blood Brothers, and if he can get away with it and still sleep nights good luck to him. As I said this is certainly entertaining and Russell - adapting his own stage play for the screen - has managed to 'open out' a one-set two-hander to include several other characters and locations in much the same way the one-character stage play (again set in Liverpool) Shirley Valentine was supplemented and 'opened out' for the screen. If plagiarism doesn't bother you chances are you'll enjoy this.

Alcoholic professor tutors a working class woman who aspires to become educated. It's based on a play and it shows. Most of the film is devoted to conversations between Caine as the self-pitying professor and Walters as the uncultured but enthusiastic student. While some of the dialog is interesting, much of it is mundane and repetitive and the film quickly runs out of steam. Caine is fine, but the film belongs to Walters. Repeating her stage role, Walters is delightfully vivacious in her film debut. The only problem is that her accent is so thick that those who are not British may have to strain to understand what she is saying.