Based on British journalist Lynn Barber’s personal memoir, “An Education” presents a realistic and poignant portrayal of a schoolgirl’s unconventional encounter with first love. Carey Mulligan (“Public Enemies”) plays 16-year-old Jenny, an intelligent and charming young woman far more mature than her years. A straight-A student, Jenny surrounds herself with French music, films, fine art and literature, hoping that after appeasing her parents’ dreams of attending university at Oxford, she can finally live the cultured life she dreams of. However, her routine existence is uprooted when a charismatic middle-aged artisan, David (Peter Sarsgaard, “Orphan”) charms Jenny and her parents into believing he has their daughter’s best interests at heart. Whisking her away to luxurious art auctions, jazz clubs and symphonies, Jenny believes she’s found a shortcut around the monotonous road to university.
The author of “About A Boy” and “High Fidelity,” among other books, Nick Hornby takes his first attempt at a screenplay with “An Education.” And the results are superb —
his charming script adds depth and humor to Jenny’s naive and hopeful outlook on love. As the plot circles around Jenny and David’s unorthodox and sometimes troubling relationship, Hornby maintains a degree of hesitance in the actions and words of the characters our protagonist places her fate in.
Charmed by David’s maturity and poise, Jenny’s parents place a tremendous amount of faith in the older man who seems to offer their daughter connections to a more cultured existence, and yet a constant feeling of uncertainty and unease effortlessly penetrates the screenplay. Hornby’s script keeps the audience in the same state of excitement as young Jenny While her wary curiosity continuous to grow, just enough information is withheld from the audience to keep us wondering just why this older man would take interest in a young schoolgirl. Jenny wonders this very question throughout her love affair as the movie flows.
In her first leading role in a major film, Mulligan can only be described as breathtaking. As Jenny slides deeper into a world she doesn’t understand, Mulligan doesn’t portray her character as sad or pathetic, but genuine and justifiably naive. She avoids the label of victim throughout her whirlwind romance, and despite her young age, Jenny’s character remains confident and captivating. While the relationship between David and Jenny is somewhat disturbing, through Mulligan’s heartfelt performance, it is easy to see how David’s words and actions manipulate the young girl. With a role in the upcoming Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman drama “Brothers” (opening Friday), and a promising lineup of upcoming projects featuring actors such as Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Ewan McGregor and Shia LaBeouf, it is safe to say a promising young star is born after her remarkable performance in “An Education.”
On top of Mulligan’s loveable character, the additional cast members of “An Education” shine just as bright, bringing depth and emotion to even the smallest of roles. Alfred Molina (“The Pink Panther 2”) and Cara Seymour (“The Savages”) strike the perfect balance as concerned parents torn between their admiration for David and the academic goals they’ve set for their daughter. As David’s glamorous, yet slightly corrupt best friends, Dominic Cooper (“The Duchess”) offers a subtle reminder of the criminality of the entire situation, while Rosamund Pike (“Surrogates”) contributes to Jenny’s transformation from schoolgirl to adult sophisticate.
Sarsgaard himself is extremely well cast as he artfully wins over the hearts of Jenny and her family, because with every word and every action it seems plausible that his character could be trustworthy. Jenny and her parents want to believe the best in Sarsgaard’s character, and through his believably refined British accent and sympathetic eyes, he does seem like the type of character one might trust and confide in.
While there are many things one can learn from school, books and an Oxford education, it is the challenges that brush by us every day that offer us our most important education. Director Lone Scherfig, Hornby and the phenomenal cast that makes up “An Education” brings Barber’s memoir to life through this genuine and engaging film, teaching us important lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom. Winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and nominated for its grand jury prize, “An Education” is touching, honest and should not be missed.
4 1/2 stars out of 5.
