School for Seduction

Every once in a while, I like to sit back and watch a "chick flick." Writer/Director Sue Heel's first effort was mostly enjoyable as a time passer, but there is nothing special to recommend it.

Kelly Brook (House of 9) was exquisite as the Italian beauty the opened up a school for charm and seduction for ordinary London housewives. I assume it was London, but what do I know. I am still trying to figure out what a "chippy" is. She was far less believable as her secret is revealed in the third act.

It was a funny story of men/woman problems, and how a little conversation would serve us all well in our relationships.

I am still trying to figure out why this got an "R" rating. Did I fall asleep?

A very unfunny feminist movie where Kelly Brook Italian accent is actually worst when Dick Van Dyke tried to do cockney London.

Not much to say really that the film is for women who need some guidance on their naff relationship!

Awful just awful!

The long and sometimes unfairly maligned tradition of British comedy films is still alive and kicking - thanks be! I saw this film as an in-flight movie between Heathrow and JFK. There were about 8 other films that passengers could chose from including the latest Hollywood blockbusters. Given the loud laughs and cheers that broke out all round the jumbo jet just at the points where I was doing likewise there is no doubt in my mind that this film was being enjoyed by many. This is a well observed, well written and carefully crafted film. There are delightful performances from some of the cream of British light comedy actors. Dervla Kirwan, with her smouldering good looks, initially had me worried playing an averagely inhibited wife, but she carried it off and her performance gained from the difference between her appearance and behaviour. British comedies can either be too smugly Home Counties based or too self consciously "up north" but despite being based around Tyneside this film neatly avoids being obsessed by its location . This may not be high art, this may not convey any serious messages but the important task of entertaining and making people laugh, which this film does admirably, should not be underestimated.

I don't remember laughing so much at any film! There are just so many good scenes, with great acting, moments of silence, surprised looks and just funny, funny.

Most of that comes from the great writing, but all the actors have to do their stuff too, and they do, even the males who mostly are made out to be total idiots, and up themselves.

It starts out in Italy where a bunch of girls are being taught, one of them is Sophia, (Kelly Brook) who promptly walks out on her stupid husband and heads back to Newcastle, England, where she was brought up and went to school.

She sets up similar school, to teach woman to be themselves, and gets some really interesting clients, mostly women whose partners don't seem to appreciate them. It helps the film that all the women are stunningly beautiful, and the guys are also quite good looking.

Emily Woof, Dervla Kirwan are great, and Tim Healy as a middle-aged guy and his wife give a different, and funny, slant on proceedings. Ben Porter is Toni, a drag queen. This guy has real talent, his song and dance scene is so good I'd love to see more!

Nearly a ten rating, but the last few minutes get a bit too serious.

School for Seduction is a charming and mildly entertaining film about a bunch of women who mostly work at an Asda supermarket in Newcastle. Their men either don't understand them or take them for granted. They decide to become sexier and more confident and take a course in seduction run by Kelly Brook. Inevitably as they start to take charge of their lives, their outlook and relationships start to change. The acting is excellent and the characters are believable. Sue Heel has written an amusing script.

The film doesn't try and appeal to a trans-Atlantic audience, so there are no-American stars. It just looks like life in Newcastle, warts and all. As a British expat living in the U.S. it was good to be reminded about the existence of saveloys and chips.