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An Education is a coming of age story taking place in early 1960s London between schoolgirl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) and older man David (the always charming Peter Sarsgaard).
First reaction upon leaving the theater: Predictable. You know David is up to no good right away and the challenge is not deciphering if, but rather when, the bottom will fall out on Jenny's fantasy. When it finally happens, the big reveal wasn't shocking...merely acceptable.
I say this. However, throughout the film, other patrons were gasping and cursing under their breath. The movie has great reviews in mainstream media. So perhaps I'm too big a snob to immerse myself. Last week on NPR, Matt Damon said (I'm paraphrasing) "If the audience is watching Matt Damon instead of the character I'm portraying, I'm not doing my job as an actor." During the scenes that were supposed to make me cry, all I could think was "he's acting."
That said, there is a reason the only Golden Globe nomination this film received was for Carey Mulligan. She's a delight--portraying youth and sophistication's rivalry with great subtlety and nuance. Peter Sarsgaard does a great job as well. He's like a sleazy, slightly less attractive Jude Law.
My favorite part of the movie was the costumes and set decorations. I'm a vintage freak anyway, so all the little knickknacks and wall hangings were the most fun visually. The dresses the girls wore were also a feast for my eyes.
Final thoughts: This film isn't for everyone. It's for those of you who are either into vintage, or into melodrama light on the meat.
