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| Movie Review: An Education Alternate Title: Growing Pains
Story: There should have been
an ew factor in this terrific film about a young girl's seduction
by an older man but because of the sensitive directing by Lone
Scherfig and sensational acting by the entire cast I found
this film to be almost flawless. It was written by Nick Hornby
(High Fidelity, About a Boy) and based on a memoir by Lynn
Barber. It is 1961, Twickenham, a suburb outside of London. Young Jenny is
impatient to grow up and get on with what she anticipates to be an amazing
life. Her eager parents have been molding her
for Oxford in a, by the book, fashion. A chance meeting on a rainy day
will change all of the predictables in 16 year old Jenny's life. Older
David, encapsulates all of the danger and longing she is after. He is
mysterious, Jewish, cultured, loves music and art, lives the high life
and adores her. She is smitten and willingly goes along with what may
prove to be life altering events. Jenny is bright, longs to be sophisticated
and is not played as a victim at all. It does not hurt either that David
does not come off as predatory. I will not reveal much more of the plot or else
I would be a spoiler. Check out this film for some great entertainment
and watch a star in the making in the young Carey Mulligan. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYkLgaQ27L8 Acting: Carey Mulligan as Jenny is sheer perfection.
he owns the camera and every scene that she is seen. Brava to young
Carey Mulligan. Peter Sarsgaard as David, works his
underplayed screen magic once again. Dominic Cooper
as partner Danny is just right in his role too. Rosamund Pike
as girlfriend Helen has some terrific lines and almost steals some scenes.
Alfred Molina as Jenny's father Jack, has almost all
of the funny lines and surprised me by his nuanced performance. Cara
Seymour as the mother, Marjorie, also works wonderfully.
Emma Thompson as the Headmistress, in a small, but terrific
part. Olivia Williams as the teacher, Miss Stubbs is
also grand. Trivia: Carey Mulligan lived in London from birth
until the age of three before moving with her family to Germany, where
she attended the International School of Dusseldorf. She is in a relationship
with Shia LaBeouf as of August 2009, having met him
when they began filming Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps together.
Peter Sarsgaard often takes supporting roles instead
of headlining a picture, whereby his character is friend to the main
character in the film (Kinsey, Shattered Glass, Garden State, Jarhead).
Peter and his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal, became the parents
of a girl, named Ramona. Rosamund Pike was friends
with Chelsea Clinton while at Wadham College, Oxford.
Not only are they both the same height (5' 9"), they are both fluent
in German, and they are both only children.
Predilection: I like Peter Sarsgaard and as soon as
I realized that I was the same age as Jenny was playing in the early
60's I could not help but relate to her situation and the times.
Critters: Racing dogs.
Food: Birthday Cake, breakfast and lots of alcohol.
Sex Spectrum: Some snuggling and talk of sex.
Soundtrack: Perfect blend of high and low culture.
Opening Titles: A delightful graphic superimposed
over the girls' school.
Visual Art: Director of photography, John
de Borman captured the early 60's through his lens and attention
to detail by production designer, Andrew McAlpine was
terrific as were the Pre-Raphaelite paintings.
Theater Audience: A few of us in the secret balcony
but lots of people downstairs as I could hear the laughter.
Weather: It rains in London.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: The more that a whiff of anti-semitism
and racist sentiments should have made me squirm but it was treated
with taste and good fun. Actually some of the best laughs of the film
involved the English anti-semitic run of the mill statements.
Drift Factor: I paid attention throughout.
Predictability Level: High
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Yes
Big Screen or Rental: Big screen.
Length: Under two hours.
LOBO HOWLS: 9
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