An Education

Set in 1961 London, An Education follows 16-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan) as she embarks on a relationship with a thirty-something art dealer (Peter Sarsgaard’s David) and subsequently finds her drab existence punctuated by visits to jazz clubs, trips to Paris, and the like. It’s initially almost impossible not to wonder just why nobody in Jenny’s life objects to her coupling with a man old enough to be her father, with the almost blase reaction of her parents (Alfred Molina’s Jack and Cara Seymour’s Majorie) sure to leave most viewers scratching their heads – although, to be fair, the film transpires within a time and place that’s nothing short of alien to most contemporary audiences (ie perhaps this sort of thing was commonplace in Europe at the time?) One also can’t help but wonder just what it is that David sees in Jenny; as she’s not sleeping with him, it does become exceedingly difficult not assume that he possesses ulterior motives for carrying on with the school girl. Such issues eventually become moot, however, as the film’s appeal ultimately lies in its irresistibly evocative visuals, Nick Hornby’s snappy, clever dialogue, and, in particular, the splendid performances from an almost flawless cast – with Mulligan’s star-making turn as the central character often smoothing over the film’s more overtly prominent deficiencies. By the time the admittedly predictable third act rolls around (ie one’s initial guesses as to where all this is going ultimately are inevitably proven correct), An Education has essentially lived up to its place as a relatively conventional coming-of-age drama that’s a slight cut above its similarly-themed brethren due mostly to the third-act choice that Jenny faces (ie continue with her education or embrace David’s freewheeling lifestyle).

*** out of ****