History Film / WithHonors

* RunningGag: Simon is continually called "[[Creator/WaltWhitman Whitman]]'s ghost". To the point that the four take turns reading from ''Leaves of Grass'' [[spoiler:as Simon lays dying in bed.]]

* WatchingTheReflectionUndress: Courtney calls Monty into the bathroom to talk to him while she is in the shower and shaving her legs (we can partly see her through the shower curtain). Though his back is turned he can't resist checking her out in the mirror, and after leaving he remarks [[CargoEnvy "Never wanted to be a razor so bad in my life."]]

* BelligerentSexualTension: Monty and Courtney snipe at each other throughout the movie. [[TheyDo Until the finally hook up at the end]].

** While the loss of his thesis is devastating for Monty's sanity and education, he would have gotten in back much sooner and easier had he not been such a jackass to Simon. On the other hand, Simon was also quite rude to Monty as well, essentially holding his graduation hostage and calling him a loser.

%%* BelligerentSexualTension: Monty and Courtney.

Fraser portrays Montgomery Kessler, an honors Government senior at Harvard University and pet pupil of the harsh Professor Pitkannen (Creator/GoreVidal). Monty's rooms in a house with Courtney (Moira Kelly), an art student; Everett (Patrick Dempsey), a college radio DJ and legacy student; and Jeff (Josh Hamilton), a neurotic pre-med student. After his computer crashes, Monty loses the only paper copy of his thesis in a library boiler room. Attempting to retrieve it, he comes across Simon B. Wilder (Pesci), a homeless man who is living in the boiler room and burning the thesis. Simon extorts food and new underwear from Monty in exchange for pages of his thesis, but Monty instead calls security and has Simon arrested. In order to get his thesis back, Monty puts Simon up in a broken-down van in his backyard.

* RunningGag: Simon is continually called "[[Creator/WaltWhitman Whitman]]'s ghost". To the point that the four take turns reading from ''Leaves of Grass' [[spoiler:as Simon lays dying in bed.]]

* AssholeVictim: While the loss of his thesis is devastating for Monty's sanity and education, he would have gotten in back much sooner and easier had he not been such a jackass to Simon.
** To be fair, Simon was also quite rude to Monty as well, essentially holding his graduation hostage and calling him a loser.
** Jeff—he’s the ButtMonkey of the group (see below), but his attitude makes this feel deserved.

* BelligerentSexualTension: Monty and Courtney.

* DeadManWriting: [[spoiler: Simon's obituary.]]

* TheDreaded: Pitkannen.

* FiveManBand

* {{Jerkass}}[=/=]SmugSnake: Professor Pitkannen (Creator/GoreVidal).

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Simon completely upbraids Prof. Pitkannen and gives a thoroughly eloquent speech about the US President. Everett even describes him later as "the slayer of the dragon Pitkannen"

[[quoteright:333:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/withhonorscastshot_3746.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:333: ''"If you want a degree go to Harvard. If you want an education...go to Simon Wilder (far left)."'']]

'''''With Honors''''' is a 1994 dramedy starring JoePesci and BrendanFraser.

Fraser portrays Montgomery Kessler, an honors Government senior at Harvard University and pet pupil of the harsh Professor Pitkannen. Monty's rooms in a house with Courtney (Moira Kelly), an art student; Everett (Patrick Dempsey), a college radio DJ and legacy student; and Jeff (Josh Hamilton), a neurotic pre-med student. After his computer crashes, Monty loses the only paper copy of his thesis in a library boiler room. Attempting to retrieve it, he comes across Simon B. Wilder (Pesci), a homeless man who is living in the boiler room and burning the thesis. Simon extorts food and new underwear from Monty in exchange for pages of his thesis, but Monty instead calls security and has Simon arrested. In order to get his thesis back, Monty puts Simon up in a broken-down van in his backyard.

'''''With Honors''''' is a 1994 dramedy starring Joe Pesci and Brendan Fraser.

Fraser portrays Montgomery Kessler, an honors Government senior at Harvard University and pet pupil of the harsh Professor Pitkannen. Monty's rooms in a house with Courtney (Moira Kelly), an art student; Everett (Patrick Dempsey), a college radio DJ and legacy student; and Jeff (Josh Hamilton), a neurotic pre-med student. After his computer crashes, Monty loses the only paper copy of his thesis in a library boiler room. Attempting to retrieve it, he comes across Simon B. Wilder, a homeless man who is living in the boiler room and burning the thesis. Simon extorts food and new underwear from Monty in exchange for pages of his thesis, but Monty instead calls security and has Simon arrested. In order to get his thesis back, Monty puts Simon up in a broken-down van in his backyard.

[[caption-width-right:333: "If you want a degree go to Harvard. If you want an education...go to Simon Wilder."]]

->''"If you want a degree go to Harvard. If you want an education...go to Simon Wilder."''

-->- '''Tagline'''.

* CoolOldGuy: Simon is 50 and a homeless philosopher and so rumbles into OldMaster territory. Unfortunately for Monty, he is also very much a GrumpyOldMan.: Both Simon and Everett switch between this and LargeHam.

->''"If you want a degree, go to Harvard. If you want an education...go to Simon Wilder."''

* AesopCollateralDamage: Monty finally comes around to bring Simon into his life, but only after he rejects him several times and Simon's asbetosis hits the final stages.

* {{Jerkass}}[=/=]SmugSnake: Professor Pitkannen as played by Creator/GoreVidal.

* Fanservice: Fraser looking his young best in tight shirts, boxer briefs, and a nude butt shot. Also Moira Kelly in her lingerie at the Links party.

* BittersweetEnding: Monty is happy and dating Courtney and Jeff has lightened up but Simon died.

* AlmostDeadGuy: Simon, who survives long enough for all four roommates to take turns reading from Whitman's ''Leaves of Grass''.

* IvyLeagueForEveryone

''With Honors'' is a 1994 dramedy starring Joe Pesci and Brendan Fraser. Fraser portrays Montgomery Kessler, an honors Government senior at Harvard University and pet pupil of the harsh Professor Pitkannen. Monty's rooms in a house with Courtney (Moira Kelly), an art student; Everett (Patrick Dempsey), a college radio DJ and legacy student; and Jeff (Josh Hamilton), a neurotic pre-med student. After his computer crashes, Monty loses the only paper copy of his thesis in a library boiler room. Attempting to retrieve it, he comes across Simon B. Wilder, a homeless man who is living in the boiler room and burning the thesis. Simon extorts food and new underwear from Monty in exchange for pages of his thesis, but Monty instead calls security and has Simon arrested. In order to get his thesis back, Monty puts Simon up in a broken-down van in his backyard.

* DeadManWriting: Simon's obituary.
* DesignatedVillain: Pitkannen seems like this with Monty as his [[Dragon dragon]].