An Education - 4 smiles

“An Education,” perceptively directed by Lone Sherfig with outstanding performances by Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard, is clearly one of the best films this year. Jenny, a precocious 16-year-old high schooler cocooned in a claustrophobic world of school and home, is aching to feel everything the world has to offer. Her encounters with the much older David (Sarsgaard) provide her with experiences not contained in a typical syllabus. David proves to be a grifter so charming and so good at conning people that even Jenny’s parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour) encourage their relationship.

Director Sherfig hits the right tone in Nick Hornby’s script – she keeps everything light. But at the core of the story is the fundamental dilemma, life vs. education. And in the early 1960s, the time period for “An Education,” there weren’t many doors open to women. Certainly learning about life with David makes more sense to Jenny than being bored and studying Latin. Mulligan brings intelligence and strength to her role, transforming Jenny from gawky girl to sophisticated woman. She lights up the screen with a charisma reminiscent of a young Audrey Hepburn. Sarsgaard is a perfect David, creating a man who is both fascinating and slimy and certainly less emotionally mature than Jenny. The excellent supporting cast also includes Olivia Williams and Emma Thompson as strong-willed educators with opposite responses to Jenny’s situation. See “An Education” for Carey Mulligan’s performance. She’s the heart and soul of the movie. You won’t be disappointed. 10/16/09