There was so much I liked: the 70's aesthetics (starting from the opening credits), the music, the New England boarding school environment, the academic discussions, the dialogue (actual written lines are so rare in movies these days!)
Unfortunately there were also things that didn't appeal to me. Lots of coming-of-age cliches, sentimental choices in running the plot and what I thought was a cop out of an ending.
But most importantly it has to be said that Paul Giamatti gives the best performance of the year, if not decade. What a character.