FCE: writing a review on a film

for a school /college magazine. Choose any film which you

think might be of interest to your fellow students. The film can be in any language and it can be of any type: comedy, thriller, science fiction, romance, historical drama etc.


Your brief is to include a clear description of the story/contents, to comment on what you think the most successful and least successful features are, and to give an overall recommendation. Write about 250 words.

about the production?

Where is it on? Are there any

well-known actors? Who is the director?

unsuccessful features of the subject.

Your comments will probably include both

objective views (e.g. the costumes didn’t fit the actors properly) and subjective views (based on personal feelings) – the story wasn’t interesting or the film was too violent.

Make sure, however, that you give reasons for your comments. You may have strong positive or negative feelings about the subject of the review and this is no bad thing. A strong opinion, clearly argued, is often more interesting to read than a carefully balanced assessment. Even so, try not to be completely one-sided.

your feelings and make it clear to the reader whether

you recommend the subject without any reservations, recommend it with one or two reservations, or don’t recommend it at all.

In real life, readers often look at the last paragraph of a review first to see what the general verdict is. Make sure your review gives a clear verdict.

study of
                                               deals with …                   a survey of
                                               shows …                        

a history of
                                               describes …
                                               tells the story of …

It contains      a chapter on
It includes      a section on

unimaginative
absolutely      amazing          fairly   entertaining         completely humourless
                        beautiful                                exciting                                              hopeless
                        stunning                                informative                                        amateurish
                        superb                                    attractive                                            over the top
                        brilliant                                   successful                                         predictable

In the last analysis               In conclusion                       

To sum up          On balance

well thought out plot – brilliant acting – superb photography

– delicate direction by – many dazzling moments – a powerful climax – thoroughly enjoyable – totally satisfying – a memorable film

An exceptionally tedious film – an excessively slow and boring look at life in – a chaotic story line – exceedingly poor performance by – awful amateurish camerawork – under the heavy-handed direction of – embarrassingly weak script – horribly unnatural dialogue - an ending that was ludicrous – absurd – laughable – ridiculous – totally nonsensical – dreadfully disappointing – a waste of time – absolutely worthless – pointless – stupid

of the Sun (1987)
3. White Squall (1996)
4. Kramer vs Kramer

(1979)
5. Dances with Wolves (1990)
6. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
7. The Message in a Bottle (1999)
8. The Deep (1977)
9. The Legends of the Fall (1994)
10. Russia House (1990)
11. Schindler’s List (1993)
12. Dante’s Peak (1997)
13. The Constant Gardener (2005)
14. The English Patient (1996)
15. All the Pretty Horses (2000)
16. The Client (1994)
17. Mr. Destiny (1990)
18. The Body of Lies (2008)
29. The Tears of the Sun (2003)

and articulate if seemingly naïve American who is in Saigon

as part of a medical mission. As Fowler and Pyle develop a closer friendship, Pyle is introduced to Phuong, and the American soon becomes infatuated with her.

The Quiet American (2002)

Graham Greene's allegorical novel about America's role in the Vietnam conflict, and how it was perceived by the rest of the world, is brought to the screen for the second time in this adaptation directed by Phillip Noyce. Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) is a British journalist who in 1952 is covering the early stages of the war in Indo-China for the London Times, not a demanding assignment since few in England are especially interested in the conflict. When not filing occasional reports, Fowler spends his time with Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen), a beautiful woman who shares lovemaking and opium with Fowler and is willing to accept the fact the married journalist
will never make her his wife.

by digging himself deeper in covering the war, and Pyle

attempts to take Phuong away; she soon rejects him. Undaunted, Pyle continues with his work, but Fowler discovers that medical help is not what the American is bringing to Vietnam. Pyle is in fact a CIA operative who is helping to organize and finance a "Third Force" who will battle Ho Chi Min's forces as well as the French and their allies. Fowler also learns that Pyle is behind a series of bombings which are believed to have been carried out by Communist extremists, and faces the ugly fact that his American friend is in fact a terrorist killing in the name of Uncle Sam's political interests. While completed in the fall of 2001, The Quiet American went unreleased until late 2002; after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the film's producers felt the film's critical view of America's role in the Vietnam war might be considered especially offensive. (Rotten tomatoes http://www.rottentomatoes.com)