An Education

Met up with the Best Beloved after her stint as invigilator at the University and went to see "An Education", the film starring Carey Mulligan. The Best Beloved has been keen to see this film as it is set in the time when she was also a grammar school girl. It was one of the films that I had earmarked as seeing later on DVD. Some films just have to be seen in the cinema, for example, "Avatar" in 3D. Smaller scale more intimate films can be seen on the TV screen or on the projector without losing too much. However having said all that I am glad I went to see "An Education". Everyone who has seen it or reviewed it has raved about the central performance of Carey Mulligan, as the bright teenager with a glowing education future, and her encounters in the "university of life". The Danish director, Lone Scherfig, specialises in films dealing with characterisation and is concerned with the lives of ordinary rather eccentric people. She is married to a psychologist, which could be a result of her work or a contributory factor to it. The screenplay is written by Nick Hornby and is a wonderful piece of work. All the character work is exceptionally well done. As the playboy nearly twice her age who changes Jenny's life, Peter Sarsgaard, creates a man with whom we could be morally outraged but with whom we always maintain a touch of sympathy. Peter appeared in the Sam Mendes' film, "Jarhead",as a die hard member of the Marine elite unit, and he played the air marshal, Carson, in "Flight Plan" with Jodie Foster. Peter certainly has range and form and his performance in "An Education" as David must rate a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Alfred Molina as Jenny's father also gives a performance of note although I am a sucker for father roles. He has set great store by his bright girl going to university and adds to the pressures on her. Olivia Williams gives a good performance full of subtleties and nuances as Miss Stubbs, the grammar school teacher and role model, who is challenged almost as much as is Jenny by the latter's experiences. Rosamund Pike, though would also gain my nomination as Best Supporting Actress, as Helen, the blonde air brained girlfriend of Danny (Dominic Cooper). When Jenny says she is going to read English at university, Helen's look of incomprehension is wonderful to behold as she struggles to understand that Jenny is going to read English "books" and why would anyone need to go to university to do that! I would highly recommend "An Education" but you will have to hurry if you want to see it in a cinema as screenings are becoming few and far between. If you don't make it, do catch it on DVD!