I agree with anjulis...I live in Surrey, and around here there are many private schools with a vast majority being boarding schools too (I myself go to one). Lacrosse is played, although the sporting focus is more on netball, hockey and tennis...lacrosse is becoming an archaeic sport.
Also, I'd say about 2% speak with impeccable Queen's English accents as you'd see in the film, the typical British stereotype...but the rest just speak normally, with no particular accent - however it's Hollywood, so it's obviously going to be played up a bit.
The thing I hate about these films though, is that they portray all-girls boarding schools as awfully strict, with every student being some sort of anally-retentive geek. It's not like that at all...we're just the same as your average institution of secondary education, except we're perhaps a little more polite, with more ambitions and career prospects and the education is better than the average comprehensive (state school). Furthermore, the public school kids, in my experience, are much more into socialising and partying, getting drunk and fooling about than any state school kids i've hung out with...yes, there's more money to throw around but they are by no means prissy, stuck up or prudish which is what these films tend to suggest. Just giving everyone a little reality check there.
Still, it is amusing to see how Hollywood portrays the 'typical British all-girls boarding school', which is why I'm going to watch this film. It looks quite fun and lighthearted, shame Alex Pettyfer has to be in it (I'm not fond of him, I've met him at a few parties and he's a bit of an arrogant prick!! Don't like the idea of paying the cinema £6 towards his paycheck...but hey).
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somebodyls
16 years ago
giveitsomeblonde- I know what you mean, that all the English girls are going to be really stuck up with the American girl, but eventually she shows them how to live and they all become friends. The teachers will be in exasperation of this American girl who's come and woken all the English girls up. :P
In truth, we had an American girl come to stay at our school for a bit and everyone was really great friends straight away. I think British and Americans are fascinated at meeting each other and there would really be no snobbery from either side.
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wicklexpickle
16 years ago
I understand your points, but I'm upset that you think people who dont have enough money to go to some boarding school in Surrey dont have the same drive as 'rich kids'.
I go to a 'public' school, and just because I'm not as rich as some people doesn't mean I'm not as smart as them! It also doesn't mean I'm not as polite as them. I have ambitions of my own, and I know some extremely smart people that have gone to some pretty horrendous schools that are now attending Oxford and Cambridge. They just had to work hard to achieve their dreams. You could also look at it in reverse - there are some rich people who have gone to some of the best insitutions in England and are STILL complete idiots who now spend all their parents money on silly parties and bags that cost £60,000. Id like to state clearly Im not talking about every privately schooled child. Of course a large majority are bright, and well behaved, and work equally as hard as those with a public education.
And in turn I understand you arent talking about EVERY public schooled person.
But I'm still offended you think I'm 'more into into socialising and partying, getting drunk and fooling around.'
Some people may have better opportunities in life, but that dosent mean the people without those opportunities dont have career prospects. They just have to create those opporunities themselves.
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RothGirl94
16 years ago
I completely agree with you,wicklexpickle
I,too go to a public school and i bet i have better manners than half of those rich kids at private schools!
There is no way i'd ever get smashed or throw a party and trash the house because i have morals and i respect my parents.
I just think its really unfair that some people have a better start in life just because their parents are loaded.
Just look at my super sweet sixteen uk
I guarantee that all of those spoilt,selfish little brats go to private schools,and look how they turned out!
You've just got to make the best of your situation
It's hard to rob a gun store man, they got guns!- Malvo
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pinkalarmclock
16 years ago
Just because private schools cost, and state doesn't, doesn't mean that everyone is compleatly loaded. I've gone to a private my entire life, and, while everyone's well off, not everyone is a millionaire.
And what about people on bursaries?
But none of us are swanning around in limos and spending £3000 on lipgloss. My Super Sweet Sixteen UK is compleatly done for the cameras, and all of the people on in it are chavs or neds who just want to be on TV. I doubt they all go to private schools.
Are you insinuating that those who go to privates have no morals and don't respect their parents? I'm sure thats not how you meant it to come out, but if it was, that's as bloody sterotypical as it gets. Yes, some people are compleatly mad like that, but personally I've never met one.
Em xXx
Troll Poker
The Angels stole my Phonebox!
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ikhypk
16 years ago
Let me get this straight, is this movie deserves to be negatively criticized by Brits so much just because it's stereotypical? So many people arguing about lacrosse,posh British accents and so forth. Does people even WATCH & APPRECIATE movies these days? Most of you argued so much that the true meaning("heart") of the movie is totally neglected. The movie is about a self-minded, arrogant, rich american wild child brat, sent by her dad to an England boarding school. Throughout the course of the movie, she learned how to respect people, blend in or mix with people from different culture, find her true self and get some true friends. That's the whole point and the essential core of the movie, why everyone keeps arguing on nonsense matters anyway and for so long? Actually, instead of being obsessed in putting blames in American, try to learn something or anything you think is right and can be implemented in real life. Sorry to say this, but you guys are just immature...
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wicklexpickle
16 years ago
I wasnt even criticizing the film!!
If you BOTHERED to read my post, you'd see I wasn't talking about stereotyping at all.
I was replying to a poster who highly offended me by saying that since I dont go to private school, I dont have any morals or career prospects. I have to work hard because I go to a pretty tough school, and her saying that I dont respect my parents because I have less money than her made me extremely angry. I also said that I KNOW it doesnt apply to every school.
I WASNT being nasty about the film AT ALL.
I loved the film.
And not ONCE did I ever complain about AMERICAN STEREOTYPING.
I complained about her behaviour towards those that are public schooled.
I too hate people being over sensitive about this film.
But Im so SORRY if my standing up for myself offended you :/
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divine_bloodlust
16 years ago
Thank you wicklexpickle! Giveitsomeblonde's post actually offended me! I too went to a 'public' school and am perfectly polite and have plenty of ambitions. Just because my parents couldn't afford to send me to private school, and in fact wouldn't have done even if they were, does not mean I do not have dreams. If anything it is more of an achievement for someone from a 'public' school to be a success, they do not have the advantages of a boarding school child - and that's not to say that a boarding school child is more personally qualified academically or in any other way to go to Oxford/Cambridge or whatever else they want to do, but that the name of the school will work in their favour, and there is also family names etc which can be a factor. And, I don't want to generalise here, but I probably have more of a grip on life having been through school with a whole range of people from a whole range of backgrounds. If a child is going to succeed they will succeed wherever they go to school.
As for the point in question, the stereotype really bothers me too. I realise that there is a certain comical value it is supposed to bring in this film, but its not just that, it is that this is how Americans always expect us to be. Any British character in any American film/tv show/etc is some prissy, upper class British Rah. British actors/actresses quite frequently develop these accents to fit the stereotype. Even British actresses portraying Brits in US productions put on these fake 'upper class', 'posh' accents because it is what is expected. As a Northerner the issue isn't even that they are all southern characters, I could deal with that more if it wasn't for the horridly 'posh'ness of it all!
I hate the British stereotype. I don't know, maybe I would feel different about it if that was who I was, but I never see a British character that represents me or anyone I know, I cannot relate to them.
I love Angelina Jolie, I wanna marry her and have like 10 thousand of her babies!!
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earthalimel
16 years ago
one little thing...and i know it doesnt really make sense cause in america state schools are called public schools....but actually schools such as eton and stowe and many other private schools throughout the country are actually referred to as public schools, whereas non-fee paying schools are state, not public...just so you know...
on a very different point...not aimed at anyone in particular...lots of schools play lax! We even had those crappy wooden sticks until year 10....
bur i do think the movie is crap...not nearly as good as st trinians, which was itself hardly oscar worthy...
what the hell was up with the honour court thing?...i mean really, just ridiculous....
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tony-mounthigh
15 years ago
Good God "Giveitsomeblonde" have you heard yourself, "except we're perhaps a little more polite, with more ambitions and career prospects " The school system teaches you, that there are fewer ceilings for privately educated children. This allows for greater ambition and better career prospects. One point you are correct on, in your world there is more money to throw around and if you fall foul of the law, for the "working classes" this is criminal, for the "public school classes" I believe the term is hi-jinx.
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charlayneB
15 years ago
I've seen this movie its actually a good movie. but I can't believe there releasing it sooo much later after they did in Europe. hmm weird.
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