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 A lively and witty adaptation of Lynne Barber's memoir of a London schoolgirl seduced by the lifestyle of an older man.
1961, and London is poised between post-war austerity and the swinging which has yet to start. Lower-middle-class Twickenham is a dull place, and particularly so to 16-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan), swotting to pass her Oxbridge exam whilst dreaming of art, culture and all things sophisticated and French. These come her way sooner than expected, when she meets David (Peter Sarsgaard), a suave older man who manages not only to charm Jenny, but also to win over her father (Alfred Molina), whose strictly protective attitude is matched only by the dimness of his view of anything unfamiliar.
Soon she's enjoying a world of smoky bars and supper clubs, concerts and weekends away with David and his glamorous friends, and enjoying too the envy of her classmates. It's left to her formidable Headmistress (Emma Thompson) and her English teacher (Olivia Williams) to sound the notes of caution, but by then it's too late to prevent her from being seduced by the idea of a grown-up life.
Adapted from the memoir by journalist Lynn Barber, Nick Hornby's script is lively and witty, Lone Scherfig's direction is assured, and the recreation of the London of the period utterly convincing. Best of all though are the performances, strong across the board but nowhere better than in Carey Mulligan's breakthrough portrayal of Jenny, fully capturing the combination of naïvete and aspiration that make her a natural for David's advances.
A wonderfully sharp and entertaining take on the coming of age genre, An Education takes what could have been a simplistic story and spins it into something original. Helped no end by a brilliant script from Nick Hornby (yes Nick Hornby!) and a perfectly recreated London of the 1960’s, Director Lone Scherfig opens up with a blistering title sequence and carries the momentum through to the end.
Jenny is an instantly likable character who isn’t entirely innocent in the action around her. Credit has to go to Carey Mulligan who shows us the vulnerability and confidence of a girl fast approaching womanhood. She captures what it’s like to be young and yet old beyond your years thanks to her relationships with her various friends and acquaintances. 
The family life is accurate to any time or place and recognizable as any home. Alfred Molina might not have too much to do in the second half of the film, but he is wonderful in the opening segments. The fading of the family life is deliberate however as Jenny not only falls for David but also for his way of life and shady friends. Rosamund Pike plays deliberately dumb and has fun with the character whilst Cooper confirms his heart-throb status with a smooth and smart turn.
The third element of the film is the school environment and moreover Jenny’s caring yet slightly conservative teachers. Their positioning as women in the 1960’s makes for a compelling addition to out central characters journey. There might be a slight rush towards the end, but overall all the elements work in harmony to create a great story and thoroughly enjoyable film.
Rating: **** Director: Lone Scherfig
Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Thompson, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike
Writer: Nick Hornby
Distributor: E1 Entertainment UK
Running time: 95min
Release Date: October 30th
Check out our interviews with Dominic Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Nick Hornby and director Lone Scherfig. |
