jam_sing Review of Tom Brown's Schooldays

Tom Brown's Schooldays (2005 TV Movie)

A story of Tom Brown's struggles to find a place in a school over-run by bullies

[10/10 · 2 January 2005]

This is the story of Tom Brown, a young man struggling to fit in, in a school where it is survival of the fittest. He is not the only newcomer to the school. Dr. Arnold also begins as Rugby School's strict but fair headmaster. In this adaption of Thomas Hughes' Novel, we can clearly see the progression of Tom as he goes from the quiet new boy to a young man who will stand up for the underdog against the formidable enemy and bully, Flashman (played by Joe Beattie, a relatively unknown but very convincing actor). Dr. Arnold is played by Stephen Fry, who portrays the Doctor wonderfully, as a serious and convincing headmaster. Alex Pettyfer, playing the title character, is particularly impressive, despite being new to the acting scene. The whole production shows many beautiful landscapes and shows 19th Century schooling down to the 'T', even including whipping, which was a popular punishment among schools in that era. Overall, I think 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' to be a fantastic and eye-opening program to the hardship of living in a boarding school in the 1800s.