Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- angry
- depressing
- arthouse film night
- british cinema deep dive
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an authentic, professionally made, provocative sad-funny portrait of Bradford life, though its mixed tone and treatment of Bob's predatory behavior divided audiences.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film repeatedly shifts between comic sexual situations and the sadness of constrained working-class lives.
Bob is a married adult man pursuing two schoolgirls, while the film complicates rather than resolves responsibility and agency.
Its Bradford setting and Yorkshire working-class characters generated controversy over the area's negative portrayal.
The performances by Michelle Holmes and Siobhan Finneran emphasize authenticity over sexualized glamour.
Films like Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and why
Scum
working-class british social realism, provocative sexual relationships, and an uneasy blend of comedy and bleak drama
The Arbor
northern english social realism, abrasive humor, and emotionally unsentimental working-class characters
Naked
british kitchen-sink realism, sexual dysfunction, and darkly comic examination of ordinary lives
Movie Details
- Director
- Alan Clarke
- Release Date
- 1987-05-20
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (84)
Cast
- Michelle Holmes
- Siobhan Finneran
- George Costigan
- Lesley Sharp
- Kulvinder Ghir
- Willie Ross
- Danny O'Dea
- Maureen Long
- Patti Nicholls
- Joyce Pembroke
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rita, Sue and Bob Too about?
- Two Bradford schoolgirls enter a volatile affair with a married man, exposing the comic, bleak, and morally tangled realities of working-class Yorkshire life.
- What is Rita, Sue and Bob Too like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rita, Sue and Bob Too as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Rita, Sue and Bob Too violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Rita, Sue and Bob Too.
- What did critics think of Rita, Sue and Bob Too?
- Critics broadly found the film an authentic, professionally made, provocative sad-funny portrait of Bradford life, though its mixed tone and treatment of Bob's predatory behavior divided audiences.
- Which films are like Rita, Sue and Bob Too?
- Films with a similar feel include Scum, The Arbor, and Naked.
- How long is Rita, Sue and Bob Too?
- Rita, Sue and Bob Too runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rita, Sue and Bob Too?
- In United States, Rita, Sue and Bob Too streams on Criterion Channel.
