Carey Mulligan is a revelation. By far one of the best actress performances I’ve seen this year in one of the most terrific and enlightening drama you’ll ever have the good fortune of seeing. Those of you who think it’s better off… to just study life without getting a degree should check out AN EDUCATION and be transformed once and for all. It may come across as your typical coming of age story but Nick Horby’s sharp, witty screenplay will get you hooked, entertained, and completely satisfied.
It’s 1961 and attractive, bright 16-year-old schoolgirl, Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is poised on the brink of womanhood, dreaming of a rarefied, Gauloise-scented existence as she sings along to Juliette Greco in her Twickenham bedroom. Stifled by the tedium of adolescent routine, Jenny can’t wait for adult life to begin. Meanwhile, she’s a diligent student, excelling in every subject except the Latin that her father is convinced will land her the place she dreams of at Oxford University.
One rainy day, her suburban life is upended by the arrival of an unsuitable suitor, 30-ish David (Peter Sarsgaard). Urbane and witty, David instantly unseats Jenny’s stammering schoolboy admirer, Graham (Matthew Beard). To her frank amazement, he even manages to charm her conservative parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour), and effortlessly overcomes any instinctive objections to their daughter’s older, Jewish suitor.
Very quickly, David introduces Jenny to a glittering new world of classical concerts and late-night suppers with his attractive friend and business partner, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Danny’s girlfriend, the beautiful but vacuous Helen (Rosamund Pike). David replaces Jenny’s traditional education with his own version, picking her up from school in his Bristol roadster and whisking her off to art auctions and smoky clubs.
Seek no further, because we may have just found ourselves the next great actress. Carey Mulligan may not be new to the business but AN EDUCATION is the milestone in her career, it’s her finest hour. The moment I notice that she’s got it is when she’s standing by the side of the road, in the poring rain, she sees a mother desperately trying to get her disobedient child to cross the street, and you can see Mulligan’s expressive look on her face, not to mention the way she sees Peter Sarsgaard’s character the first time they meet, there’s a bit of curiosity, a bit of suspicion, and intrigue. Those 2 clever yet simple reactions to different situations is when I know I’m watching a great actress at work.
As Jenny, Mulligan is stubborn, easily wowed, and she has her way of making herself sound righteous even when we know she’s wrong. This is a story of a girl who’s lived most years of her life sheltered in the idea that you won’t make anything of yourself unless you get to a good school like Oxford. Her parents, especially the father played brilliantly by the great Alfred Molina, keep putting that pressure on day in and day out. Sounds like a potential for one of those heartwrenching heavy drama but here’s why I think screenwriter Nick Hornby deserves a nomination for adapted screenplay… it’s because Hornby doesn’t leave out the comedy, certain elements that keep mood from becoming emotionally draining. Even Jenny gets to be a smartass. When her parents asks the obvious, she answers with sarcasm. On top of that, absolutely fabulous comic relief by the stunning Rosamund Pike who plays the airhead, trophy girlfriend in this story. Having Emma Thompson play the confused principal not knowing why she’s in the education business is perfect, Thompson only has a few minutes of screen time but she’s memorable nonetheless. And actress Olivia Williams is firm and inspiring as the teacher Miss Stubs who’s sad to see Jenny go down a self-destructive path when she has so much potential to do better. Peter Sarsgaard gives a powerful performance as the glamorous older man, David, but I think Sarsgaard has played this badboy character way too often in the past that it might hurt his chances of getting recognized as a best supporting actor even when his English accent is pretty damn awesome for an American.
My friend used to say sometimes you gotta learn it the hard way. Fact is, there are no shortcuts and those who think there are, will be living so fast that their idea of good living doesn’t last long and is filled with lies, lies and more lies. Jenny is just a teenager who thinks that by engaging in the company of David (Sarsgaard) that she won’t have to worry about Oxford anymore. At first it feels like a burden or stress has been lifted and everything is well with food, wine, dancing, and classical music. But even David’s friend rbukes her in the end for not saying much after witnessing what they do with a certain painting. He basically points out that for a smart girl, Jenny isn’t so smart, letting herself carried away by superficiality and temporary fun.
What’s smart about AN EDUCATION is its ability to show David’s charisma also has a contagious effect on Jenny’s parents. Turns out, Jenny is not the only one thinking shortcuts are tempting, the parents feels if she’s married to a man like David, then that’s actually their plan for their daughter all along, Oxford or no Oxford.
I think the parents are missing the good old days too. They often say ‘we had a life ya know before you came along’. David’s lifestyle is just way too good to resist that it seems much better than working hard because money doesn’t grow on trees. They become those parents frustrated by life, that her daughter hanging out with somebody significant may be the answer they’ve been looking for, even if it means turning a blind eye to the importance of education they’ve been preaching all these years. Jenny and her parents aren’t so different after all.
Street smart or book smart? AN EDUCATION is not trying to make you choose, it’s simply trying to get the audience to understand that sometimes you have to do the thing you don’t want to, like studying hard for a good college, in order to someday do the things you want to and feel proud about it, like enjoying Paris knowing you’ve earned it.
* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film
