An Education

AN EDUCATION (15)

D: Lone Scherfig

Sony Pictures Classics/BBC/Endgame (Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey)

UK/USA 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 2009

95 mins

Drama

W: Nick Hornby [based on the memoir by Lynn Barber]

DP: John de Borman

Ed: Barney Pilling

Mus: Paul Englishby

Carey Mulligan (Jenny Mellor), Peter Sarsgaard (David Goldman), Alfred Molina (Jack Mellor), Cara Seymour (Marjorie Mellor), Rosamund Pike (Helen), Dominic Cooper (Danny), Olivia Williams (Miss Stubbs), Emma Thomson (Miss Walters)

Based on the memoirs of Lynn Barber, a young student gets involved with a seductive older man who promises her the world, but in truth, is only using her for an extra-marital fling.

Not since Marlee Matlin in Children Of A Lesser God in 1986 has a young actress made a breakthrough performance so exquisite. Carey Mulligan deserves a lot of credit here as she goes from a naïve schoolgirl to a wise young woman of the world against the backdrop of 1960's Twickenham (West London).

The supporting cast are also excellent, Peter Sarsgaard nails the smarmy lethario, Alfred Molina excels as the bumbling father and Emma Thompson cameos as a empathic headmistress. Cara Seymour, Rosamund Pike and Olivia Williams are also great, but you can't deny that it's Mulligan's picture.

Lone Scherfig directs the period piece well and Nick Hornby's screenplay is well fleshed out with believable characters and dialogue.

Despite the twee ending, it's a very enjoyable coming-of-age tale which covers some important issues.

8/10