Arguably the brightest male star to come out of Scotland since Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy (Mr Tumnus in The Chronicles Of Narnia) shines once again as the unlikely romantic lead in this breezy Britcom.

Produced by Tom Hanks and adapted by Cold Feet writer David Nicholls from his own novel (endorsed by the Richard & Judy Book Club, no less), it follows Essex lad Brian (McAvoy) and the class of 1985 at Bristol University.

After enduring the trials of freshers' week, general knowledge junkie Brian tries out for the University Challenge team whose captain Patrick (Benedict Cumberbatch) is stiffer than a second-year's bedsheet.

Better to get on the right side of fellow trialist Alice (Eve, daughter of TV stalwart Trevor) who clearly has plenty upstairs.

It all goes swimmingly until a disastrous New Year trip to Suffolk when Brian is exposed to the shortcomings of Alice's parents (Charles Dance and Lindsay Duncan).

Slinking back to Bristol, he licks his romantic wounds with his leftie, placard-waving friend Rebecca (Hall, The Prestige). 1986 does not begin well.

As the date with the TV cameras approaches, Brian goes into trivial meltdown.

The quiz show simply provides a gimmick and climax for the familiar set-up, though the Cambridge captain is amusingly made to resemble a post-Hogwarts Draco Malfoy.

Being as predictable as student debt and with no out-and-out zingers in the script, the freshness comes from the cast. McAvoy scores most highly but Eve, Hall and Cumberbatch all have their fingers on the buzzer.

As his widowed mum, the ubiquitous Catherine Tate keeps Brian's feet on the ground, while Dominic Cooper plays Jiminy Cricket in reverse as his aimless best mate back in Southend. Incidentally, Bamber Gascoigne is played commendably straight by The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss.

Technically, the film isn't brilliant. The awfulness of those formative days at uni are amusingly captured but many scenes lapse into cliché and the boom mike could probably apply for its own Equity card.

It doesn't help that the multitude of Eighties pop standards, great though they are, are used so unimaginatively.

The Cure's In Between Days accompanies a busy montage, Ever Fallen In Love by The Buzzcocks heralds tentative romance, and The Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want signifies heartache. Ho hum.

The soundtrack compilers lose another five points for overlooking the fact that The Cure's Pictures Of You and Love Song werent released until at least three years after events unfold.

But it's impossible not to like, so let's leave any nitpicking for threadbare mascots.

Elliott Noble