Tagline: Innocence of the Young.
Synopsis: It’s 1961 and Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is an attractive, bright 16-year-old schoolgirl, poised on the brink of womanhood, dreaming of a rarefied, Gauloise-scented existence as she sings along to Juliette Greco in her 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 (Matthew Beard), and even manages to charm her conservative parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour). Very quickly, David introduces Jenny to a glittering new world of classical concerts and late-night suppers with his friends, replacing 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. Jenny’s school friends are thrilled with her newfound sophistication but her headmistress (Emma Thompson) is scandalized and her English teacher Miss Stubbs (Olivia Williams) is deeply disappointed that her prize pupil seems determined to throw away her evident gifts and certain chance of higher education. Just as the family’s long-held dream of getting their daughter into Oxford seems within reach, Jenny is tempted by another kind of life. Will David be the making of Jenny or her undoing?
James Cameron's "Avatar," Lone Scherfig's "An Education" and Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" led the Orange British Academy Film Awards, each taking eight nominations. All three were nominated for best picture, alongside Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire" and Jason Re...
Read More »Nick Hornby's work on major awards contender "An Education" joins a surprising list of screenwriters that have been deemed ineligible by the Writers Guild of America's annual awards. Hornby has been a member of WGA for 10 years, a representative for Hornby told indieWIRE today. But after production...
Read More »Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" finally got a chance to disturb the American moviegoing audience this weekend, and while it managed consistent sell-outs in New York City (where it had taken in a fantastic $26,000 from one screen by Saturday night), its overall six-market debut fell somewhat below expe...
Read More »It isn’t easy being a sleeper nowadays. There’s been so much buildup for An Education, which has traveled the film festival circuit since Sundance in January, that it’s difficult for ordinary moviegoers to feel as if they’re discovering it for themselves. I hope inflated e...
Read More »EDITOR'S NOTE: This review was original published as part of indieWIRE's coverage of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. "An Education" opens in theaters this Friday
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