Please don't spend money on this.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is a pleasant, low budget, entertaining film. The story is built around a high school production of a play written by a former student of the school. But there are complications galore. It's funny. It's clever. It's original. There are a lot of laughs but also some serious moments, a bit of rumpy-pumpy and a few profanities, tied to-gether with a humorous, British accented voice over commentary and occasional, bluntly worded on screen titles. It's a happy combination of good writing, interesting characters, original ideas and snappy production, all done on a low budget.

A perfect role for Julianne Moore. All the other characters were nicely arranged around her's. It was a story based on the high school teacher and her ex-student, joining together for a school project. In the middle part, a wonderful development in the story turns the convincing second half. Some people are not a good listener, they try to finish the sentence before the speech givers. Such small instance, sometime may create a big trouble. Not right away, but it takes time of its own. At some point the truth will meet and all the hell will break out.A movie with a good narration, but very familiar and predictable. Pleased performances, individually, but casts did not blend well together. Overall, a better movie than what I've heard about it, especially compared to so many overrated recent films. Easily just an above average, should have been better in the many parts, but the quality is there and entertains. In the end, it gives satisfactory for what it is. If you expect something more beautiful or powerful, this isn't the right film for you.6.5/10

This is meant to be a comedy but very little I can find funny in it.How on earth can film makers(Hollywood) make a joke about a school teacher having sex on school premises with her former student?!In today's climate that is just not on. The story is about a failed albeit young writer getting his play performed at his old school.The play looks awful as is this movie.Poor acting and ham acting throughout the picture; a poor script, no sympathetic characters etc etc.Generous that I give it: 3/10

I came across this movie on Netflix streaming movies. It is quite quirky, my wife almost abandoned it after 30 minutes but we both persisted. I enjoyed it, part comedy and part drama, perhaps it is best described as a semi-dark comedy in the British style.In fact throughout the movie there is a periodic narration, representing the English teacher's thoughts, but in a British accent, provided by Fiona Shaw. I took that to mean the English teacher's inner voice was a British voice, as if she were actually inside an older British story.Julianne Moore is very good as Linda Sinclair, the English teacher in this Pennsylvania community. In a funny early scene she is at a bank ATM at night and is approached by what appears to be a stranger, and as he gets close she pepper sprays him in the eyes. It turns out to be a former student who recognized her and was coming to say hello.That former student turns out to be Michael Angarano as Jason Sherwood who had graduated 6 years earlier, and had gone on to college and had tried making it as a writer in New York. But unable to get any interest in producing his play, was back home, living with dad, and contemplating law school.His dad is Greg Kinnear as Dr. Tom Sherwood. Long story short, Ms Sinclair gets the school administration to agree to perform Jason's play, but it does not go without a hitch. And in the process Ms Sinclaire gets some unwelcome publicity. But overall it is a fun romp. Very cute Lily Collins is Halle Anderson, one of the students in the play.SPOILERS: Ms Sinclaire is a spinster lady, and while she longs for a nice guy just never seems to meet one. One day, when Jason is in her classroom right after school ends for the day, they kiss, they get excited, they have sex on her desk. In a turnabout this gets out, she is fired, worse she is shamed, while they try to perform the play. In the end they do, it is a big hit, Jason gets renewed confidence, and his dad, the doctor, asks Ms Sinclaire out for a date. Whimsical, but fun.