Release Date (UK) – 30 October 2009
Certificate (UK) – 12A
Country – UK
Director – Lone Scherfig
Runtime – 95 mins
Starring – Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard  & Dominic Cooper

An Education stars British newcomer Carey Mulligan as Jenny, a 1960s teenager in a coming of age drama as Jenny must choose between going to Oxford for ‘an education’ in the literal sense or in the way of life itself by marrying her much older boyfriend David (Sasgaard). Jenny has always been forced into studying by her father Jack (Alfred Molina who has some hilarious lines) and David and his friends open up a new adult world of leisure and fun to her full of concerts, clubs and sports cars.

The acting is great from all the cast and much has been made of Carey Mulligan in the press, but for me Dominic Cooper is the stand out performer as David’s charismatic ‘business’ partner Danny. Jenny soon discovers David and Danny make a dubious living through various cons and schemes but even her strict father eventually approves of David and rather surprisingly sees this opportunity of marriage as a fine alternative to the education he has always pushed Jenny into.

The story was adapted by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy) from journalist Lynn Barber Lynn Barber’s own memoirs and although the film is a great reconstruction of sixties costumes, atmospher and music overall the film leaves a rather bland aftertaste, as for me there was no real emotional connection or depth to Jenny’s character and I didn’t really care what happened to her in the end. For fans of period dramas it’s a pleasant enough film and I’m sure it will certainly be nominated for a few things come awards season.

Trailer below