What is an education? Is it merely the devouring of countless academic books and hours spent in characterless classrooms, lectured on concerning subjects that seem irrelevant to your existence? Being forced to free your mind in a decidedly conformist way? Or is it, in fact, actively partaking in the many wonders of the world; experiencing first hand what at school you can only read about- actually living in the moment without abiding anyone’s rules and regulations? An Education gave the impression that it may just be both but that, ultimately, the sequence in which we experience these two integral life components that might just be the real lesson.
The film centres on Jenny, a high school overachiever in 1960s London, who lives and breathes the whimsy of a romanticised aspiration; longing for the wonder of Paris, or even anywhere other than the stale existence of her suburban surroundings. She initially believes that pursuing her long-held goal of Oxford University is what will enable this dream to come to fruition; yet as soon as fellow music aficionado and suave older gentleman David blows across her path, her goals are suddenly at the mercy of a strong and exciting new wind.
Scripted by the reputably witty novelist Nick Hornby, whose dialogue is a tight and jocular zeitgeist of British sixties repartee, it seems to relevantly hark back to the timeless romance classics of an era gone by and the cadence of which gives the scenes a life and energy that sets the film apart from others of its kind. Based on the brief memoir of Lynn Barber, Hornby takes an archetypal storyline and makes it appear refreshingly novel, while riddling it with abundant references to appropriate art, music and literature, including a few heavy-handed acknowledgments to the classic coming of age novel Jane Eyre.
Danish Director Lone Scherfig, does a clean, competent job, yet doesn’t offer anything unique as a signature. However, it is apparent that she was finely tuned in to both the material and her star, judging by her ability to conjure moments of magic from both. Her film frequently and lavishly skills us in the auditory and ocular delights of the time; specifically those afforded to the upper classes, such as art, fine dining and classical music, with the soundtrack of the film featuring whimsical Parisian harmonies of Juliette Greco, the smooth 60s jazz of various artists and even snippets of timeless classical pieces.
The performances here are altogether proficient. Notably, Rosamund Pike, who is surprisingly hilarious as the vacant, vapid Helen; and even the terribly miscast American thespian Peter Sarsgaard- who is typically more akin to John Malkovich than Cary Grant-does a reasonable job as Henry, the charming British rogue. However, this film naturally belongs to the captivating charisma of relative neophyte Carey Mulligan, who carries the film with ease and sophistication far beyond both her experience level and age. She is the real throbbing heart of the film; dually exhibiting intelligence and sagacity in abundance while still retaining the capability of falling back into the naivety of youth- she is able to transform little inconsequential moments into something quite prodigious.
The film as a whole acts like a smooth, beguiling jazz tune, floating over the viewer, caressing delicately with words and nuances, painting rich pictures with its melody, capturing your attention completely and yet never quite persuading you that this is what you want to be listening to. The enchanting delicacy of its harmony unravels towards the end, losing its way within the complexity of its own ambition, as the film’s fundamental message is just not presented convincingly enough.
An Education is a well-worn coming of age tale set within an intransigent and arduous world (especially for free-spirited females); and is ignited by a simple yet powerful performance from its young star. The film may be undone by a cliché and somewhat feeble climax and an arbitrary and unnecessary voice-over closing, yet it ultimately offers us a course in how much things have changed over the years, how some things never seem to change and that the lessons we learn along the way are what matters most in the end.
-Shay Garrett