<p>Thought movie was great. Perfect timing with admission decisions over next week. I know story is a bit unlikely, but it does display the randomness of the system.</p>
<p>I thought it was mediocre at best. Poorly written script, thin, predictable plot. I love Tina Fey but even she couldn’t save this. I did like the way that the student candidates “materialize” when they are being considered for admission.</p>
<p>I thought the book was good, especially all the specifics about the process at Princeton. The author actually worked in admissions there, so I’m betting the descriptions were accurate. The book wasn’t at all funny, though. I read it when S2was going through the admissions/applications process so it was timely.</p>
<p>This movie deserved Anne Hathaway. Tina Fey deserves much better than a movie that is a seriously unfunny comedy or a silly parody of the admission world. </p>
<p>Will be on cable before the summer melt starts.</p>
<p>EPTR, I agree with you…I also liked the way the students appeared as they were being considered. It was slightly horrifying to watch them drop through the floor once they were rejected.</p>
<p>I loved the book, even though one of the plots was a bit far fetched. Wasn’t in the least bit comedic.</p>
<p>While not an important or noteworthy film, my daughter and I enjoyed the movie. We’re big Tiny Fey fans, and I think she did “save” the film. Like a lot of romantic comedies these days, it was a combination of humor and poignancy. Daughter found it interesting and fairly accurate how Fey’s character changed and her professionalism ended once she lost her objectivity and became “the parent.” I haven’t read the book, but the movie definitely seemed to parody the admission’s process, which is where some of the humor came in, so it may not have been true to the book in that respect.<br>
I think if high school kids see how random and subjective the process depicted in this movie was, it might make them take the decisions less personally. Three or four minutes and an up or down vote- denied. Pretty brutal.
Maybe I enjoyed it because I was with my adult daughter who is not too many years beyond having been an applicant herself. And who doesn’t cherish these special mom-daughter afternoons? But I’d recommend it to my friends, as I think they would find it entertaining, too.</p>
<p>My favorite admissions movie is the interview sequence at Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. It’s made particularly funny when later in the movie Kumar realizes he might want to be a doctor after all. (It also has some pretty funny Princeton scenes.)</p>
<p>I finally got to see this movie and I really enjoyed it! It’s not a great work of art, but I thought it was funny and I liked all the college stuff.</p>
<p>My kid is home on break this week and we’re thinking about going to see it - so glad to read some enjoyed it.</p>
<p>This movie barely lasted one week in our local theaters. The movie houses dropped it like a hot rock.</p>
<p>Agree movie not that good, but did like conceit re students falling through trap door when denied.</p>
<p>Still playing at our local theater. Six showings. </p>
<p>But then, our locals are obsessed with college admissions. :D</p>
<p>It has been in several local theaters here for quite awhile now, too. DH and I saw it yesterday, liked it very much. The pivotal part – re: the boy and the Tina Fey character – is changed completely from the book. I wonder why the producer did that? Maybe they felt it was just too much of a happy ending?</p>
<p>I just went to see the movie today…have to say that I did enjoy it but…the book was much better! I, also, don’t know why they changed so much- I thought a lot of the story was lost.
Do love Tina Fey and Paul Rudd though…</p>
<p>I watched this on NetFlix last night.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’ve spent too much time on CC (!!), but as I was watching them decide the fate of the Autodidact Quest student (Paul Rudd’s prodigy), I felt they should have raised the legitimate concerns about accepting such a student - ie, how well he would have fared in a traditional classroom setting.</p>
<p>[For those of you who haven’t seen the movie - the premise is - should Princeton accept a brilliant student, capable of perfect SAT scores and receiving 5s on eight AP tests – without taking any classes as prep for the AP – who received Ds and Fs his first three years of high school before being discovered and doing well in an alternative school - parents work at the Store 24 - he would be the first to go to college – EC is ventriloquist act about the philosophers.]</p>
<p>Fendrock, you are right about that issue. I know it is supposed to be a happy ending that the autodidact student is admitted, but I kept thinking about what he would be likely to do once he got to college. This is the kind of student that I can picture having amazing conversations late at night in his dorm, but not making it to class or getting his work done.</p>
<p>As is often the case, the book is much better than the movie. In this case, I’d say MUCH better than the movie - even the basic plot has significant differences. I’m a Tina Fey fan and a Paul Rudd fan, but this screenplay did a huge disservice to the book.</p>
<p>My all time favorite college admissions scene from a movie is “The Wrong Transcript” by Lily Tomlin, a high school guidance counselor.</p>
<p>^^^
Mine is the Princeton alumni interview at Joel’s house in “Risky Business”</p>