• Review Index
  • About Me
  • Suggestions

vinnieh

~ Movie reviews and anything else that comes to mind

vinnieh

Tag Archives: An Education

An Education

03 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 43 Comments

Tags

2000's, Alfred Molina, An Education, Cara Seymour, Carey Mulligan, Coming-of-Age, Dominic Cooper, Drama, Emma Thompson, Lone Scherfig, Olivia Williams, Peter Sarsgaard, Rosamund Pike

Film Title

An Education

Director

Lone Scherfig

Starring

  • Carey Mulligan as Jenny Mellor
  • Peter Sarsgaard as David Goldman
  • Dominic Cooper as Danny
  • Rosamund Pike as Helen
  • Alfred Molina as Jack Mellor
  • Cara Seymour as Marjorie Mellor
  • Olivia Williams as Miss Stubbs
  • Emma Thompson as Miss Walters

A delightfully rendered coming-of-age story based on a memoir by Lynn Barber, that captures its setting excellently and has both humour and seriousness in it, An Education encompasses something very charming and bittersweet.

It is 1961; Jenny Mellor is a bright, pretty and sheltered 16-year-old girl living in Twickenham, London. an-education-movie-posterHer parents, mainly her pushy father Jack, are pressuring her to study hard so she can go to Oxford. Yet Jenny is restless with this and wants to experience something fun and exciting in a world that she sees as very boring. Into her life in a shiny car comes the much older David Goldman. He is a charming and cultured man who despite being almost twice her age, gives Jenny a lift home when she is caught in rain. Jenny is completely bowled over by the handsome stranger and becomes dreamy about him. As he begins to show an interest in her, Jenny’s plans for Oxford are put on hold and slide away as she immerses herself in the glamorous world that David offers, where she meets his friends partner in crime Danny and his oblivious girlfriend Helen. Yet David, while able to please everyone around him including Jenny’s parents, is clearly up to something that puzzles Jenny. It seems the journey for her is going to leave her with two choices. Is the cosmopolitan lifestyle that Jenny has become immersed in, thanks to David, really worth sacrificing a place at Oxford for? And just what will come from the relationship with David, who is clearly not all he seems?

Danish director Lone Scherfig’s largely unfussy but very personal direction explores the social mores of the time, when you can just about feel that big changes in the world are literally just around the corner. jenny-an-educationShe places us in the story and we witness like Jenny, the chance of escape into something that looks so thrilling, but could very well be the opposite. The script by Nick Hornby combines humour with the burgeoning drama, in an effortless an understated manner. And while most of the exercise is very charming and apparently light, underneath it and emerging is the seriousness that rightfully connects with us as the glamorous world that we see may not be all it is cracked up to be for Jenny. Because of this, a bittersweet harmony between the fun and the moving is crafted with adroit skill and An Education soars in its evocation of this young girl’s journey that brings her both happiness and sorrow. An Education wisely sidesteps becoming overly nostalgic and mawkish, thanks to the greatness of everyone involved with the project. It is a credit to the film that the central part of Jenny falling in love with David and being taken in by him is not viewed as creepy or seedy. Sure the character of David is a little sleazy, but the relationship shared for the most part stays on the right side of curious and a little poignant, without the need to become tawdry. The representation and recreation of the early 60’s before it was swinging is beautiful in construction and really shows a glamour that is to Jenny what she has been searching for. Some of the action sags in the middle part, but is quickly redeemed by the moving examination of Jenny’s journey that captures your attention with its naturalness and believability.

The glowing and beating heart at the core of An Education is the stunning work from Carey Mulligan. carey-mulligan-an-educationShe boasts something akin to Audrey Hepburn with the playfulness and innocence she projects in the part which is simply magnificent. But Mulligan also displays that Jenny is smart(sometimes a little too smart for her own good) and clearly no fool, she just craves a sense of something extraordinary which I’m sure even now is something that a lot of teenagers can relate to. Jenny just wants some fun and adventure in her life so it isn’t really surprising that she is so taken in by David and the glamorous life he leads her into. Carey Mulligan sells everything about the character so subtly and beautifully that even when the character of Jenny is making decisions that in the long run may be bad, we can see why she is doing it and the reasoning. This was a star making performance from Carey Mulligan, who since this film has become one of my favourite and most reliable actresses. Surrounding Mulligan is an outstandingly assembled cast of greats who contribute something to each of their respective parts. Peter Sarsgaard strikes the right balance of smooth talking sophistication and a lingering sense of darkness, though like Jenny the effectiveness of the performance lies in how he takes people over, not least the audience. Dominic Cooper plays David’s right hand man, who while still a charmer offers Jenny support and foreshadows what David may truly be like. An EducationRosamund Pike is a hoot as the fashion plate bimbo with all the eye rolling and hysterical lines to match. Case in point after hearing that Jenny scored a B on her Latin exam, she exclaims ” Someone told me that in about 50 years, no one will speak Latin, probably. Not even Latin people.” It is amusing comic gold to watch. The always good Alfred Molina turns in a finely tuned performance as Jenny’s domineering, penny-pinching father, who is actually just looking out for his daughter’s needs. He is both an amusing and melancholy character, who wants to be there for his daughter yet due to his old-fashioned attitudes is puzzled by her at the same time. Cara Seymour ably supports Molina as his wife, who is always trying to quell disagreements in her household. Olivia Williams is on hand for a moving delivery as the inspiring schoolteacher who gives Jenny some very strong advice in helping decide her future. Emma Thompson has a ball with her small role as the disapproving headmistress, who doesn’t take too kindly to Jenny’s plans to leave school for an older man.

A charming but very observant picture of teenage curiosity and the heart versus the head, An Education provides a well mounted picture of a certain time and a beautiful performance from Carey Mulligan.

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012

Categories

  • 007 thoughts and reviews
  • Adventures of Satrap
  • Announcements
  • Awards and Achievements
  • Birthdays and Tributes
  • Blogging Community
  • Blogging Questions
  • Creepy
  • Gif Posts
  • Humour
  • Movie and Television Trivia
  • Movie opinions and thoughts
  • Movie Reviews
  • Music reviews and opinions
  • Photography Discussion
  • Rest In Peace
  • Sport
  • Television Opinions
  • Television Reviews
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Jan    

Tags

007 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010's Action Adventure Announcement Based on a true story Bernard Lee Bette Davis Birthday Blogs You Should Follow Cate Blanchett Comedy Crime Desmond Llewelyn Disney Drama Fantasy Foreign Language Film Gillian Anderson Halle Berry Happy Birthday Horror James Bond Judi Dench Julianne Moore Julia Roberts Liebster Award Lois Maxwell Madonna Maggie Smith Matthew Fox Meryl Streep Music Musical Mystery Natalie Portman Neve Campbell Period Drama Psychological Horror Psychological Thriller Rest In Peace Romance Romantic Comedy Science Fiction Spy Supernatural Horror Thriller

Top Posts & Pages

The X-Files Season 6
Lyric Analysis - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue: Where the Wild Roses Grow
More Butts
Two Moon Junction
Unfaithful
Feel Good Day
The Devil's Advocate
Party of Five Season 3
Blow-Up
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3
Follow vinnieh on WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • vinnieh
    • Join 3,769 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • vinnieh
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...