This is an excellent film and the acting from Ian McKellen, is as excellent as expected. If books are always usually better than their movie counterpart, well I'd certainly want to read the Stephen King novel. Brian Singer is an excellent director and 'Apt Pupil is not far off his best work. There is lot's of plot twists and plenty of high drama, to keep you gripped until the end, although I think the first half of the movie is more powerful.