An Education Movie Review

An Education (2009)

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Written by: Lynn Barber (memoir), Nick Hornby (screenplay)
Directed by: Lone Scherfig
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Olivia Williams, Rosamund Pike
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, her life changes when she  meets a playboy almost twice her age.

Verdict
The cold reality of the situation crushes a teenage girl's romance. This starts as a romantic fantasy when Jenny begins dating a dashing older man, but clues emerge before the truth. It's a nice movie. It's never going to be a classic, but I like the way the plot unfolds. This isn't a happy ending and it shouldn't be. As the title implies the character gets "an education."
It depends.

Review
The crux of the plot is the relationship between a school girl Jenny and an older man David. He's a charmer, and I just knew there had to be more to it. Why he is so interested in this girl? Usually in these types of stories the older man is interested just in looks, but there's an intellectual connection too which adds a degree of uncertainty to the story. What's the deal?
Mulligan does a great job, which is to be expected at this point.Sarsgaard is solid too, you never quite trust his character.

Carey Mulligan plays Jenny.

He's making moves, but also making sure she's comfortable, not pushing her too far. It seems the relationship isn't just about sex. Even her family likes him, which is a bit of a surprise, but their motivations are to make sure she lives well off and he seems able to provide that. I get their motivation, and while the story isn't about them, I have to imagine they would have had some misgivings about the relationship even if they ultimately decide to allow it.

Mulligan and Sarsgaard.

Initially swept off her feet, things begin to unravel quickly. I like that his isn't a happy ending. The relationship implodes and Jenny is mad at her parents for allowing it. They're in a tough position. If they had said no, it would have pushed her towards David. If they say yes, she still moves toward David but without the strong resolve to defy her parents. The parent's dilemma is the more interesting aspect of the story, and I wish it had played a larger part to the story.