Editor Reviews:

Description:
This new adaptation of Thomas Hughes' famous novel tells the tale of a young boy's courage in the face of vicious bullying. Set in Rugby Public School during the mid-1800s, the eponymous Tom transforms from timid, homesick schoolboy to courageous student as he learns to confront his fears, stand up for his friends, and hurdle the obstacles of adolescence.

Amazon.com:
Tom Brown's Schooldays charts a young boy's first steps towards adulthood as he attends a troubled British school. As Tom Brown (Alex Pettyfer, Stormbreaker) arrives at Rugby Public School, so does the new headmaster, Dr. Arnold (Stephen Fry, Gosford Park, Wilde), a man who intends to stamp out the bullying and drunkenness that sow corruption in the school. Brown and Arnold collide, but Brown's true enemy is the brutal Flashman (Joseph Beattie), an upperclassman who dedicates himself to making Brown's life miserable. The adaptation of this classic English novel is extremely abridged (only 93 minutes, as opposed to the almost four-hour 1971 version) and takes some liberties with the story (Flashman's crimes are much more dastardly here). But the results are strong; though the exposition may feel a bit choppy and episodic, the mixing of storylines leads to an emotionally compelling second half. This version retains the novel's greatest strength, the complexity of Tom Brown himself; far from a cardboard icon of virtue, Brown's character allows for both courage and insolence, loyalty and rebelliousness. But the movie's greatest strength is Stephen Fry's performance; his magnetism, intelligence, and empathy drive Tom Brown's Schooldays forward. --Bret Fetzer

Rating : - Not what we expected.
This story had a compelling plot and story development. I chose it for a family movie based on everything on the front and back jacket covers. The drama was intense and disturbing at times. There is slight nudity and some amount of mature theme. It is not rated, but it was not at all what I expected based on the information on the jacket. From other reviews I have now read, the movie is more extreme (than the actual book) in its display of the bullying which occurred in this school. Even though the main culprit does get asked to leave, you always get the feeling he is not punished enough and should have been punished as a criminal. I felt like I made a mistake in choosing it as a family film even though the story has some merit. For the most part, good triumphs over evil in the end. Our family felt like it should have been rated PG-13 due to some mature sexual content.