Don’t get me wrong, I love Nick Hornby, author of About a Boy and High Fidelity. But, he has the awful knack of making women either stone-cold bitches or pristine virgins, with most of his female characters severely lacking realism. I knew Hornby had crafted An Education’s screenplay, based on the short memoir by British journalist Lynn Barber, but while watching the film, I kept forgetting about his involvement—and I mean this as a compliment. Jenny, the female protagonist in An Education, played subtlety and beautifully by relative newcomer Carey Mulligan, was so dimensional and relatable that I got swept up into her world wholeheartedly.

Read more about An Education after the jump!

An Education tells the story of Jenny, a bright student in a small London suburb in 1961 who has been pushed towards an Oxford education her whole life by her overbearing, middle-class father (Alfred Molina, whom I adore). One day, on her way home in the rain from cello practice, a flashy maroon sports car pulls up bearing a dashing man named David (Peter Sarsgaard), who offers her a ride home. He takes a shining to the pretty and clever 16-year-old and eventually begins wooing her. This may sound creepy, but their relationship doesn’t really have a sexual tone to it, as David is more intent on showing her the finer things in life: fancy restaurants, concerts, art auctions, the racetracks, etc. Jenny soaks up her new education of life, learning that there is more to life than reading books about how to live.

You would think her stuffy father would abhor this romance, but he practically pimps Jenny out, being seduced by David as much as his daughter. In contrast to Mad Men, where women seem to have a tiny modicum of power, An Education gives us a deep insight into women’s real options in the ‘60s. Jenny’s father only wants her to attend Oxford to find a wealthy husband—what else would an education be for? Now that a seemingly wealthy man is interested in her, what is the point of even going to college? Even though you can easily guess how the story ends—I mean, if you’ve seen a handful of movies EVER, you know what the climax will entail—Jenny’s father is almost one of the bad guys, and it’s sometimes hard to watch a father so mistreat his daughter, although with the best of intentions. 

While the script shines with exhuberance and energy, the performances take center stage. Molina does what Molina does best, which is be awesome. Sarsgaard does great with a flimsy character, and his accent is completely believable considering how many shitty British accents I've seen throughout the years. I feel like he could have done more with a meatier role, but he turns out a commendable performance. Emma Thompson and Olivia Williams pop up for bit roles as stern educators, seemingly unaware of the life outside of school. Dominic Cooper is seductive as David’s playboy partner in crime, who is completely carefree and fun. A beautiful but dim Rosamund Pike plays his girlfriend.

And then there’s Mulligan, who’s been garnering comparisons with Audrey Hepburn. While I don’t think she quite has Hepburn’s chicness, she does capture her innocence and quiet naiveté in Roman Holiday. Mulligan literally shines as Jenny, whose eyes seem to soak up everything before her. It’s almost like you’re actually watching Jenny see paintings and hear music for the first time, rather than some actor act out a scene. Her eyes sparkle, and you can’t help but fall for her dimpled smile. That’s why An Education works as a great film, even if you can spot its outcome a million miles away.

--Darcie Duttweiler