Poised to attend Oxford University, 19-year-old Charles Highway decides it's high time to have a romantic encounter with an older woman. With the help of a computer program and several eccentric relatives, Highway sets his sights on seducing Rachel Noyce, a stunning American in her 20s. However, Highway has his work cut out for him. Noyce has a boyfriend, DeForest, and is not exactly receptive to Highway's advances — at first, anyway.
It has a brisk, well-turned-out quality that augurs well for Harris, the son of Richard Harris. Helping set and maintain the film's smart tone is Chaz Jankel and David Storrs' deft, trendy score.
– Kevin Thomas,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Nov 2013
rotten:
Director Damian Harris isn't able to capture the book's special charms, and resorts to having his young hero address the camera to keep the viewer in the picture.
– Variety Staff,
Variety,
26 Mar 2009
rotten:
The result is without dramatic or moral weight, despite Highway's contrived comeuppance, and it's impossible to care about the characters.
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
fresh:
Pryce gives one of the year's most refreshingly uninhibited performances as the boy's weird, postmodern hippie brother-in-law Norman. And Fletcher is a genuine star. His devilish precocity makes The Rachel Papers a bracing treat.