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Trailer

The History Boys

2006Movie1 h 49 minR

Drama
68
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.8Metacritic746.6Rotten Tomatoes66%70%

A hopeful, philosophical drama movie about growing up and history, with standout dialogue.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

Where to watch

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Not for scares, adrenaline or brutality.

Movies with

Story

History. It's just one bloody thing after another.

The story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students at a Yorkshire grammar school in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master, a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores, a grossly out-numbered history teacher, and a headmaster obsessed with results, the boys attempt to pass.

Feels like

  • British Prep School
  • Coming-of-Age
  • Witty Banter
  • Class Dynamics
  • Philosophical Debate
  • Nostalgic Tone
  • Ensemble Cast
  • Homosexual Themes
  • Literary Adaptations

Cast

16 of 16

Crew

Directed by
Nicholas Hytner
Written by
Alan Bennett
Produced by
Nicholas Hytner, Kevin Loader, Damian Jones
Music by
George Fenton

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 2, 2006 · 1 h 49 min · R

Released
October 2, 2006
Runtime
1 h 49 min
Age rating
R
Content
Strong Language
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$13 million
Available in
28 countries

Tropes

One-Liner, Ironic Echo, Gayngst +9

  • One-Liner
  • Ironic Echo
  • Gayngst
  • School Teachers
  • Teacher/Student Romance
  • Love Martyr
  • Bilingual Bonus
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Anachronism Stew
  • Better than Sex
  • Everybody Smokes
  • Actor Allusion

12 of 33 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The History Boys?"

Questions about The History Boys

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The History Boys?

Prime

In the United States, The History Boys streams on Prime. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home.

Is The History Boys worth watching?

68
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 68 (IMDb 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes 66%, and Metacritic 74).

Is The History Boys plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (10 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was The History Boys a box office hit?

Budget$4 million
Box office$13 million

Yes: it cost about $4 million to make and earned $13 million worldwide, 3.4 times its budget.

What tropes does The History Boys use?

One-LinerIronic EchoGayngstSchool TeachersTeacher/Student RomanceLove MartyrBilingual BonusBittersweet EndingAnachronism StewBetter than SexEverybody SmokesActor Allusionand 21 more

TV Tropes lists 33 tropes for it, including One-Liner, Ironic Echo, and Gayngst.