I saw the trailers and read some of the reviews of this before going to see it with some trepidation. Rupert Everett as the headmistress seemed a good choice but the girls looked too old and too obvious and the charm and fun of the original films was lost in smut and nastiness. From the start as the chavs, posh totty, goths, emos and others were introduced I thought 'uh oh' and didn't hold out much hope.
Five stars for Everett's punchy Camilla Fritton and her delicious sparring with Colin Firth's education minister, with devious little nods to their previous work together; for Mr Darcy, and for the Girl with a Pearl Earring joke. But nothing else, even the planned robbery during a school quiz on telly, really works, and the theme song from Girls Aloud is just shocking.
This film does not dim memories of Alistair Sim - in fact, his portrait adorns the fireplace in Miss Fritton's office. And without Sim, Joyce Grenfell and the rest, this St Trinian's is a poor imitation.
Five stars for Everett's punchy Camilla Fritton and her delicious sparring with Colin Firth's education minister, with devious little nods to their previous work together; for Mr Darcy, and for the Girl with a Pearl Earring joke. But nothing else, even the planned robbery during a school quiz on telly, really works, and the theme song from Girls Aloud is just shocking.
This film does not dim memories of Alistair Sim - in fact, his portrait adorns the fireplace in Miss Fritton's office. And without Sim, Joyce Grenfell and the rest, this St Trinian's is a poor imitation.