An Education (2009)

An Education: Directed by Lone Scherfig. With Carey Mulligan, Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour. A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.

“Before I even get to the review, I want to let you know you can currently find this DVD for $2 on the bargain table at your local Blockbuster (if you live in the USA or Canada). Well worth the price.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNow letu0026#39;s get to the movie. If youu0026#39;re like me u0026amp; somewhat unexcited by the May- December romance story (Lolita, Venus, Pippa Lee, Last Tango, every Woody Allen flick ever made), you might be asking yourself why youu0026#39;re even bothering. The story here is nothing new, and the description on the back of the DVD sums up the plot in 2 sentences: something about a young schoolgirl torn between her conservative life vs. the glamour life of jazz clubs, older men and sex. But despite this age-old premise, itu0026#39;s the presentation that makes it thoroughly engaging and satisfying.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor one thing, itu0026#39;s set in Britain in the early 1960s. The attitudes, costumes and speech instantly take us back to a time when perhaps the plot wasnu0026#39;t so predictable. Much like watching Threeu0026#39;s Company which is so undeniably 70s, we are transported back to a time when the now-trite plot wasnu0026#39;t so trite. So even though part of you may sit there shaking your head thinking u0026quot;I know where this is goingu0026quot;, the overall effect is to experience the film not only through the eyes of a naïve 16-year-old but also through the eyes of a somewhat naïve society. Dark-skinned people are called negroes. The term u0026quot;Jewu0026quot; is batted around like an insult. Characters in general are hopelessly clueless compared to todayu0026#39;s standards. But the film is presented in a way that we all (should) take it in stride.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor that, Iu0026#39;d say this is probably the most interesting of the May-December romance films Iu0026#39;ve seen. Also I like the fact that it follows the girlu0026#39;s (younger) point of view whereas all the above films take the manu0026#39;s (older) viewpoint which, especially in the case of Woody Allen u0026amp; Bertolucci, can come across as the directoru0026#39;s attempt to justify his own taste in women. This film, rather, stays away from the subjective morality argument and instead focuses on the consequences. So although the story is far from original, I have to admit that the overall tone is something I havenu0026#39;t seen before.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e…with the exception of one amazing film, City of Lost Children (by the director of Amélie). Now thereu0026#39;s a film that approaches the subject in a thoroughly unconventional and charming way. If you havenu0026#39;t seen that one, go find a copy right away.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePS Alfred Molina!! Youu0026#39;ll love Alfie in An Education. If youu0026#39;re not already a fan of his, check out Chocolat, The Hoax, and you MUST see his skit in Coffee u0026amp; Cigarettes.”