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Tom Vaughan's Starter for 10 is a delightful sleeper about the kinds of mistakes people make while struggling into adulthood. James McAvoy plays Brian Jackson, a working-class student who excitedly packs off to the University of Bristol in 1985. The title refers to a lead-off question on the quiz show University Challenge. Brian longs to prove his worth on the show, and he gets his chance, but not before considerable social and romantic travails. McAvoy is a charming presence here, and he's well-supported by a cast of characters that's credibly imperfect. The screenplay by David Nicholls, based on his own novel, has an authentic tone and a lovable wit. Refreshingly, Nicholls demonstrates affection for characters that are normally played off as villains in romantic comedies. And Vaughan evocatively shoots the film as the '80s comedy you never got around to seeing.
