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Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper ... see more see more... , Emma Thompson , Olivia Williams , Sally Hawkins , Cara Seymour , Matthew Beard , William Melling , Connor Catchpole , Amanda Fairbank-Hynes , Ellie Kendrick , Nick Sampson , Kate Duchene , Bel Parker , Luis Soto , Olenka Wrzesniewski , Bryony Wadsworth , Ashley Taylor-Rhys , James Norton , Beth Rowley , Ben Castle , Mark Edwards , Tom Rees-Roberts , Arnie Somogyi , Paul Wilkinson , Phil Wilkinson

A suburban London teen finds her traditional education replaced by something slightly more sinister when an older, more worldly suitor sweeps her off of her feet while placing her future in jeopardy. ... read more read more...London, 1961: 16-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is smart, attractive, and eager to start her adult life. She's grown tired of the familiar adolescent routine, so when urbane newcomer David (Peter Sarsgaard) appears in town, Jenny senses a rare opportunity to shake things up a bit. Quickly falling under David's spell, the impressionable Jenny begins accompanying her newfound beau to classical concerts, art auctions, crowded pubs, and dinners that stretch into the small hours of the night. But Jenny is brighter than most kids her age, and her parents always dreamt of getting their exceptional daughter into Oxford. These days it seems like she's headed in a different direction -- will David ultimately be her undoing, or the person who helps her finally realize her true potential? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Lone Scherfig

Release Date: October 9, 2009

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DVD Release Date: March 30, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (5,107)

  • MrsInsomnia
    May 24, 2012
    MrsInsomnia
    Only life can teach you the most meaningful lessons...
  • mumby1988
    July 31, 2011
    mumby1988
    In my review of Gregory's Girl, I commented that most coming of age films are remembered for the careers they launched rather than their individual merits as pieces of filmmaking. And now that the dust has settled and its BAFTA nominations have become the recent past, it is clear... read more that An Education is part of this truism. Outside of the outstanding central performance by Carey Mulligan, it is an interesting but often ordinary drama, marred by its arch tone and conflicted conclusion.

    As well as being generally thin on plot, many coming of age films date badly because of the manner in which they invoke their period. Gregory's Girl may have a universal message about falling in and out of love, but it never properly explains why we should feel affection for that particular time period if we didn't grow up in it. In other cases, such as Take Me Home Tonight, the time period may be presented in such a standardised or caricatured way that we don't believe that we are watching the lives of real people.

    An Education manages to strike a pretty good balance between the flaws and foibles of the Mellor family and the iconic glamour which we now associate with the early-1960s. The film is very stylish, contrasting the washed-out colour scheme of suburban London with the silk-like glossiness of Paris. Lone Scherfig brings an air of continental glamour to Nick Hornby's distinctly English screenplay. Whole sections seem to resemble A Bout de Souffle or Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Carey Mulligan with her hair up does resemble a young Audrey Hepburn.

    Like many films set in this period, An Education is about rebellion against the old order and the acceptable avenues through which young people may advance themselves. But this is not the same old 1960s story involving Mary Quant and The Beatles; as the saying goes, the 1960s didn't really begin until 1963. An Education is set two years prior to this, with much of British society still unchanged since the war, and where the pioneers of the 1950s, such as The Goons, have become part of the furniture.

    The central difference between Jenny and her parents is not one of political opinion or social attitudes. It boils down to something a lot simpler: curiosity that there may be another way to live one's life. Jenny's parents are very set in their ways, and have never stopped to consider why it is that they do what they do in the way that they do it. Alfred Molina admits to being scared all his life, which manifests itself in his anti-Semitism and Franco-phobia. Emma Thompson is no better, remarking that she is "sorry for what happened during the war" and dodging the question about the purpose of education.

    In contrast to her peers, Jenny is not only intelligent but inquisitive about the world around her. She listens to jazz, speaks French and romanticises about the intellectual culture of Oxford. Being only 16 when the film starts, she is both the first of the baby boomers and the last of the previous generation; she may miss out on a lot of the stereotypical acts of rebellion in which her younger friends may eventually partake.

    What attracts Jenny to David is the freeform nature of the life led by him and his friends. This is not a relationship akin to a teenage girl swooning at a pop concert, so much as a seasoned master encouraging his young apprentice. David and his friends are the cultural elite, swanning around Europe like materialistic beatniks who answer to no-one, living and doing as they please and enjoying the pleasures of life and art via seemingly inexhaustible supplies of money. Their lifestyle is an advertisement, to Jenny and to us, for the way that life should be: filled with pleasure and wonder and the best that the world has to offer.

    But of course, such a worldview cannot last, and it isn't long before reality begins to intervene. As more details of David's shady dealings come to light, his smile and demeanour take on a creepier quality, until he comes to resemble Harry Lime from The Third Man. Both characters are doing something completely unreasonable and profiting from the despair or misery of others. But more importantly, both David Goldman and Harry Lime remain appealing and attractive characters even as we realise just what complete scoundrels they are. By the time it dawns on us that we have been seduced, it is far too late to escape.

    The film does a does a very good job in its first hour of balancing the redundancy of the old world with the failings and unhealthy nature of the new one. In both cases there is a risk of Jenny losing her identity, either by becoming boring like her parents and teachers, or by losing herself to the lifestyle of these shady men. Rosamund Pike's character represents what she could become if she commits herself to David, whether sexually or in accepting his principles carte blanche.

    As well as its occasional resemblance to The Third Man, there is a comparison with Blue Velvet, albeit with the genders all reversed. In place of Jeffrey Beaumout, Jenny is the young, overly curious whippersnapper who is thrown into a dark world and gets more than she bargained for. The men in her life reflect the choice open to her, with David standing in for Dorothy as the attractive symbol of danger, and Graham filling in for Sandy as the safe option which the lead character throws away.

    The only significant difference, gender roles notwithstanding, is that the heroine finds safety solely in herself rather than her admirers. Carey Mulligan is fantastic as Jenny, creating someone who is flawed and vulnerable and yet resourceful and intelligent - refreshing qualities for a female performance, in a marketplace often dominated by walking clichés in make-up. Mulligan is appropriately understated throughout, and like her subsequent performance in Never Let Me Go, she handles herself with quiet dignity even when the story reaches a moment of heartbreak or hysteria.

    For all its charm and appealing qualities, An Education is not without its flaws. Outside of Mulligan's performance, there is an irritable quality to most of its characters. To some extent this is intentional: there is little point putting a repressive school on screen if we don't in turn feel repressed by the characters inhabiting it. But Jenny's two closest friends are underwritten and misjudged, coming off as clunky comic relief which jars with the atmosphere of the film.

    This irritation is particularly apparent with David's friends. Dominic Cooper is a fine actor, but there is an overly arch quality to his character which is at first appealing but loses its lustre very quickly. More annoying is Rosumand Pike, who seems completely undeveloped beyond her symbolic role and ends up as little more than a bimbo. Pike may have made a lot of bad choices in her career, but on the basis of this she deserves better.

    But the biggest problem with An Education is its final act, where Jenny decides to 'do the right thing', leaving all memories of David behind to re-start her studies. Choosing to go to Oxford after all may indicate a new maturity in Jenny, but she is also allowing herself to fall into the very traps she had tried to avoid - even if it is her decision, she is still doing what is expected of her. It feels like a disappointing cop-out, designed to leave things on an optimistic note but which ultimately reneges on much of the past hour.

    An Education is an interesting take on a very well-worn story, made interesting by its stylish evocation of 1960s London and the performance of Carey Mulligan, who thoroughly deserved her BAFTA. It never manages to live up to its heightened reputation, and it doesn't have quite the bite it needs when it really matters. But it still makes for a pleasant if forgettable evening's viewing, containing much in the way of promise to cancel out the disappointment.
  • cosmo313
    July 24, 2011
    cosmo313
    At first, I wasn't sure if I would really like this movie or not, but I was eventually convinced to watch it because I had heard some great things, and that it was more than what it it appears to be at first glance.Well, I have finally watched it. I did like it. It's not the sort... read more of thing I'm really into or watch very often, but I can, at the very least, appreciate it, and find something to enjoy.

    The story here concerns a 16 year-old schoolgirl who gets charmed and seduced by a much older man. He takes her out of her boring life and shows her a world she had always wanted to see. Things end up not being really as they seem, but in the end, a resolution is reached, and our lead finds herself a better, richer person as a result of what she's experienced. None of that is really all that new, but ths film is really smart, charming, and quite well played.

    The film is set in London in the 60s, and that's totally fine with me. It was a fun period, so it gives some life to the typical romance story. It's not so much about the romance itself though, but the characters, and that's where this film is probably at its strongest. There are some nicely conceived characters, and they are brought to life by some excellent performances. Carey Mulligan gives a wonderful turn in her breakout role as Jenny the schoolgirl. Peter Sarsgarrd is really good as the older gentleman who romances her, but the performance I really enjoyed watching was that of the one by Alfred Molina as Jenny's father. He's a joy to watch as he deals with being an uptight dad who, like his daughter, finds himself seduced and charmed by her gentleman caller.

    This is a really good and enjoyable film, and it is smart, but I don't think it's quite a masterpiece. I recognize that there is probably something more that this film has to say, but it seems as if it is buried underneath the surface. I don't think this film is all fluff, but it would have been possible to take whatever deep meaning this film has and bring it closer to the surface while still remaining a breezy romantic coming-of-age tale.

    If you like swinging music, the high culture world of London, or just want to see a well done variation on an old theme complete with excellent performances, then you should really check this one out.
  • MrMarakai
    July 21, 2011
    MrMarakai
    Having garnered some Oscar attention upon it's release with nominations for Best Picture, Actress & Screenplay, I found this to be a film I should probably check out. It's not something I'd normally be drawn to but in this case, I'm very glad I was.
    Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is att... read moreractive, doing well at school and set to land a place at Oxford. Then she meets David (Peter Sarsgaard), an older man. He dazzles her with the edgy world beyond her '60s suburban life, and soon a very different destiny opens up before her. But everything is not quite as it seems.
    Essentially this is a coming-of-age story but it's handled with such care and restraint by Danish director Lone Scherfig, that it becomes so much more. It's beautifully shot with a fine rendering of 1960's English suburban life. A lot of attention has been given to this, and it shows. There are blink and you'll miss them subtleties between the characters and the acting by everyone involved is first class. Alfred Molina as Jenny's domineering but loving father; Peter Sarsgaard with his perfectly honed ability to be charming yet bordering on creepy; and Emma Thompson lends some weight with her matriarchal head-mistress. The real star though, is Carey Mulligan. She exudes wisdom yet naivete, confident yet doubtful. It's a marvellous performance and thoroughly deserving of her Oscar nomination. Throughout the course of the film there is an anticipation of tragedy that never really transpires, but it doesn't matter. What we are given is so much more believable with these very real and nuanced characters culminating into a quite beautiful rite of passage tale.
    As Jenny finds it hard to resist the attractive and flamboyant lifestyle of David, so did I in resisting this film with it's exquisite attention to detail and all round, solid, confident filmmaking.
  • RossCollinsUK
    May 21, 2011
    RossCollinsUK
    An interesting little story impeccably set in 60s Britain, a world I did not know personally, and with an engaging articulate young lead.
  • shawnewing92
    March 14, 2011
    shawnewing92
    An Education tells a very wise lesson about growing up and the important life decisions that all people have to make. The performance by Carey Mulligan is outstanding, she adds so much personality to the film.
  • paulsandberg
    March 11, 2011
    paulsandberg
    I had read several tomes that were all atwitter over this film's theme of a wordly man charming (or seducing as the case may be) a 16 year old girl/woman. However I'm here to say that all these folk should really get a clue, for the true story presented here is of a highly intel... read moreligent girl who is in most ways a mature, thinking adult; so what An Education actually holds in store for the viewer is a historical view of the plight of intelligent women circa 1960 and not an exploitation of taboos.

    There is a bit of Breakfast At Tiffiny's going on here, from the "strong woman making here way in the world" point of view, to the style and grace that the film's female lead, Carey Mulligan, portrays when she gets "made up"; echoing the charm of Audrey Hepburn.

    Mulligan is amazing as the 16 year old who as we first meet her has a life dedicated to hard study and doing all the right things in order to enter Oxford. She keenly watches the women around her, from her marmish lit teacher to her housefrau mother and knows that she wants more out of life. She has brains and an eye for art, but feels stifled by a regime that has her studying Latin (which the film slyly has a character point out, will be a dead language in 50 years).

    Into her life walks Peter Sarsgaard who slowly weaves his spell, giving her a taste of a glamorous life of classical music recitals, jazz nightclubs and jaunts to Paris, along the way managing to totally charm Mulligan's parents as well.

    One might think Sarsgaard is a snake for setting his sights on a 16 year old girl, and ultimately he is, though for reasons I will not reveal here; but again I repeat, Mulligan has the maturity and intellect of a woman twice her age.

    The performances here are first rate throughout, though I wasn't completely sold on the characters of Sarsgaard's partner and his GF. The interplay between Sarsgarrd and Mulligan are bits of perfection, as is the performance of Alfred Molina as Mulligan's father, a man who in one telling scene admits to his daughter that he is a frightened man and wants his daughter to be educated so that she will not suffer the same affliction. The way in which Sarsgaard plays father and mother and the way they brighten when he gives them attention is both subtle and sad.

    Ms. Mulligan I just have to say has created an oscar worthy character. So many little things done just right, balancing her "adulthood" with the little chinks in her armor (which come naturally from being a teenager). There is a scene early on when a sort of boyfriend comes to tea where the camera focuses on Mulligan as the boy begins saying all the wrong things to her parents - Mulligan's face goes from blank, to horrified, to bemused as she realizes that this boy is beneath her in every way and therefore it doesn't matter what kind of impression he makes.

    The script is intelligent and witty while the cinematography is for the most part direct and doesn't knock you over the head with its art (thankfully not getting in the way of the story) - although there are several nice touches including a shot of the two lovers filmed from behind as they sit and gaze at the sun setting on the Seine.

    I did notice a couple of incongruities (I swear I don't intentionally look for 'em, they just jump out at me). First of all in a driving scene the men are in the front and women in the back - but when they exit the car in the next scene, Mulligan is in the front passenger seat. Secondly there is a scene where Sarsgaard parks his car and shuts off the engine to have a conversation with Mulligan - but the next scene shows the outside of the car, with exhaust condensation pouring out of the car's tailpipe. Still, these type of things thankfully don't have any effect on the film, which does a wonderful job of walking the tightrope and not falling into triteness.

    There is so much here to not only admire but recommend, including a brief but wonderful appearance by the always fabulous Emma Thompson as the school's headmistress, a bit which is a beautifully written and performed, full of mannered British glory. It is the scenes with Thompson that truly bring the film's point and vision home.
  • puffchunk
    February 15, 2011
    puffchunk
    A sweet tale of girl meets douche. Douche has wife. Girl gets sad and goes to school.
  • theunknownhobo
    January 21, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    Peter Sarsgaard is one of my favorite actors hands down. His magnetic presence on the screen was only enhanced by his role in this movie and without him as the male lead, David, I do not think this movie would have struck such a chord with me. Set on the back drop of a blossoming... read more England, this film is reminiscent of all that is good, against all that makes the country wrong - which in turn appear to be the same thing. Crossing a line between a coming of age story and a period drama, this film challenges a womans place and shows a different side of civil liberty in the country. I loved this film and so should you!
  • SajinPA
    January 18, 2011
    SajinPA
    I cant see what all the hype was about this movie. Just another coming of age movie with a very predictable story line and ridiculously shallow characters.

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Critic Reviews

Christy Lemire
December 15, 2009
Christy Lemire, Associated Press

You may think you know where the film is going, but its ecstasy and heartbreak will stick with you afterward. It's one of the year's best. Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards
November 22, 2009
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

The centerpiece of An Education is the breakout performance of young Carey Mulligan. She is enchanting, and almost convincing as the teenage Jenny, though she can't completely obscure the (justified) ... Full Review

Ann Hornaday
November 5, 2009
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

A beguiling little film that, with deceptive restraint and forthrightness, opens up worlds of roiling, contradictory emotions. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
November 5, 2009
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

An Education is just what the title promises, and a delight, as well. Full Review

Chris Vognar
October 30, 2009
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

t gives a glimmering surface sheen to the glamorous mirage of David's high life and all but asks, "Would you make a better choice?"

Colin Covert
October 29, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

An Education is a vibrant portrait of England on the cusp of its postwar rebirth.

Liam Lacey
October 23, 2009
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

An Education is, as the title suggests, about Jenny exploring her own desires and shortfalls, and it's too smart a film for easy answers. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
October 23, 2009
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

The film is gentle with its judgments. Or most of them. Full Review

Peter Howell
October 23, 2009
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The point here is not to judge past missteps by modern standards, but rather to point out how easy it is to allow dreams to overtake reality. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 22, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

[Mulligan] makes the role luminous when it could have been sad or awkward. She has such lightness and grace, you're pretty sure this is the birth of a star. Full Review

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Facts

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    • David: I studied what they call the university of life. Didn't get a very good degree there.
    • Jenny: Action is character, our English teacher says. I think it means that if we never did anything, we wouldn't be anybody and I never did anything before I met you.
    • Jenny: I'm going to read what I want, and listen to what I want, and I'm going to look at paintings and watch French films, and I'm gonna talk to people who know lots about lots.
    • Jenny: If people die the moment that they graduate, then surely it's the things we do beforehand that count.
    • Miss Stubbs: You seem to be old and wise.
    • Jenny: I feel old. But not very wise.
    • Jenny: I'm going to read what I want, and listen to what I want, and I'm going to look at paintings and watch French films, and I'm gonna talk to people who know lots about lots.
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An Education Trivia

  • I am a star in an upcoming movie about showing kids they deserve a chance of education, a quote, "We can't make them want an education, but we can try!" Who am I?  Answer »
  • In what movie do the students make a fake college so that their parents think they are getting an education?  Answer »
  • "You're labourers, so labour. That's what you get for not having an education." What film is this quote from?  Answer »
  • (2000) A fifteen-year-old boy is hired by ?Rolling Stone? magazine to go on tour with, and write about the up-and-coming group Stillwater. He gets more of an education than he bargained for, as he?s exposed to ?sex and drugs and rock and roll?, and the fragile egos of the band.   Answer »
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