I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Expected more

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

I don't know why this is thought highly of by critics - it's one of the worst films I've ever seen. It's slow, dull, unfunny and none of the characters are likable. There's no indication as to what the protagonist wants to do with her literature qualification. Does she want to find a good job? If so, as what? Does she want educated friends? We never find out.Why does the protagonist call herself Rita, when her real name is Susan? If she wants to become classy, cultured etc. - then why swap one common, ordinary name for another?Michael Caine's character is a tired, cardboard cutout alcoholic. He's not the inspiring, enthusiastic, charismatic character that he's meant to be. He's a great actor, but he's wasted in this role.

Released in 1983 and directed by Lewis Gilbert from Willy Russell's script, "Educating Rita" is a drama starring Julie Walters in the titular role as a spirited 26 year-old blue-collar woman from Liverpool, England, who wants to improve her life by enrolling in a special Open University class. She meets with her jaded tutor, Professor Frank (Michael Caine), once a week to study great literature. The morose Frank spends his days in a boozy haze and is intrigued by the outspoken Rita as the mentee lights a fire in the mentor that's been out for a long time. The plot was taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" (1913), which was the basis for the 1956 Broadway play "My Fair Lady," which was in turn made into the famous 1964 movie of the same name. In Roman mythology Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with an ivory statue of a beautiful woman he had carved. That's fitting for "Educating Rita.I generally enjoyed this drama for several reasons. For instance, I appreciate the locations (Dublin, Ireland, standing in for Liverpool) and the theme: Rita's preconceptions that those in academia lead superior, happier lives are challenged by Frank's failing relationships and pathetic alcoholism, not to mention her cultured flat mate's struggles with severe depression(Maureen Lipman). Despite this, Rita seems to become a stronger person as she learns and adapts to academia.Unfortunately, the movie's lacking in some ways. For one, while Walters is fine in the eponymous role, she was 32 during filming and looked about 35 (her character is supposed to be 26 when introduced). More importantly, the drama just isn't that compelling. I suppose it doesn't help that the character arc of one of the main characters is unsatisfying, even frustrating, but I suppose it could be argued that that's just the way it is sometimes; and it is. ADDITIONAL CAST: Jeananne Crowley plays Frank's live-in non-lover, Professor Julia, while Michael Williams plays the dean of the university and Julia's secret lover, Brian. Malcolm Douglas appears as Rita's husband, Denny. The movie runs 110 minutes and was shot in Dublin, Ireland. GRADE: C+

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.

British comedy-cum-character study with 'something meaningful to say'. Screenwriter Willy Russell adapted his stage play about a flighty hairdresser (Julie Walters) getting more than just an education from boozy, burnt-out professor Michael Caine--she learns to appreciate and nurture her own intellect. The pace is easy-going, with our heroine getting brighter with every misty montage, yet the process of teaching--or actually learning something through dedicated study--is not dramatized...it isn't even attempted. Russell brings the focus back to the growing mutual admiration between professor and student, and the classroom is ultimately just a backdrop, a ploy to bring these colorful characters closer. Performances are professional and solid, but the cloying scheme of this picture is sentiment-driven. ** from ****