An Education

Set in 1960s London, this film is based on the memoirs of veteran journalist, Lynn Barber and is full of the lifestyle of those times. Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is studying for exams, which her parents are hoping will enable her to get into Oxford University.

On a miserably wet day the girl is returning from Cello class when a middle aged man, David (Peter Sarsgaard), in an attractive car, asks if she needs a lift, but puts the Cello in the car while Jenny walks alongside. In the pouring rain! This chance encounter tees us up for the rest of the film.

David eventually brings the 16 year old with him to a concert of classical music in Smith Square, but only before parental approval is granted. Later in the film, after having sweetened Jenny’s father (Alfred Molina), David takes her to Paris, where life is a little looser.

Through scene after scene of this pleasant, but quite plain, film the relationship between David and Jenny grows. One senses sex is on the agenda, despite Jenny informing her older companion that she’s not ready yet. Further fun follows and eventually David lays his cards on the table and proposes to the secondary school pupil. When the school principal (Emma Thompson) is informed of the impending nuptials, there is no going back to study, or is there?

But Jenny’s delight quickly turns sour when she discovers that her fiancé is already married. This presents considerable difficulties: how does she tell her parents of the break – up? What about her studies? In the end everything is resolved and young woman (the actor is really 24) decides she wants to go to Oxford, abandoning her earlier plans to marry a man much older than her.

The film finishes with scenes of Jenny cycling around the environs of Oxford University. By this stage she has become more in control of her life. Most of those at this cinema seemed to be elderly and female and this the best audience for a film of this kind.

An Education is a nice, easygoing way to spend an afternoon, even if it’s a little sanitised. Definitely worth a view, though. By the way doesn’t Peter Sarsgaard look the image of British cabinet minister, Ed Balls? Maybe the latter was an actor all along.