A well chosen cast play the lead roles in the drama and seem to bring each and every character to life making them appear real and far from fictional. The role of Dr Frank Bryant is played by Micheal Caine who displays a very impressive standard of acting. Rita is played by Julie Walters who too makes her character “believable” by fitting impeccably into the role. Other characters in the drama include Rita’s husband Deeny and Frank’s girlfriend Julia who eventually cheats on him with his best friend Brian.
The screenplay of “Educating Rita” was written by Willy Russell and seemed appropriate in each and every scene. One particular scene which I found captivating was a scene in which Rita had just met her new roommate after having left her husband. Her new roommate was not just educated and well read, she also had an impressive taste in music. All this mesmerised Rita and resulted in her speaking to Frank in a rather strange accent that she thought sounded appropriate. Another factor that added to the success of the drama was the music that was composed by David Hentschel. It seemed to make important scenes in the drama stand out completely. An example is the scene where Rita had been invited by Frank for dinner but failed to enter the house due to both fear and lack of confidence. As she stood outside the house watching the guests that she could never mingle with, slow music was played that seemed to highlight her isolation and state of confusion.
All the scenes in the drama seemed to fit together perfectly. However, I feel the highlight of the drama was the closing scene that led to Frank and Rita going their separate ways but both with a new hope for life. Towards the end, it seemed almost as if Rita was going to fly to Australia with Frank or that Frank would opt out of going completely. However, the fact that they chose to part ways seemed to add a hook to the drama leaving it with the perfect unpredictable ending.
All in all , I think “Educating Rita” was a fantastic drama with a perfect plot. It was hard to point out any weaknesses because in my opinion, it was absolutely flawless. The fact that it was conveying a serious message about the realities of life made certain scenes moving. However, it had a humorous side to it that kept it light and stopped it from becoming too serious. I think due to these qualities, it could be enjoyed by different types of people of various age groups.
“Educating Rita” highlighted an important, often overlooked message that it is never too late to make changes and that one event in your life can change the whole course of your life forever.
