Film: An Education
By Amy Macpherson • Aug 6th, 2009 • Section: Film
An Education
An Education
Melbourne International Film Festival
Forum Theatre – August 1, 2
Set in the 1960s, London, An Education is charming and socially aware in its capturing of the wide-eyed, boundless idealism of youth through a sixteen-year-old girl.
Jenny is in her last year of school, and, up to this point her life has been dictated by Latin essays and cello rehearsals; high hopes for entry into Oxford University inspire and motivate her rigid schedule. David enters Jenny’s world and on his arm she is introduced to a socialite life of glamour, jazz clubs, fur coats, fine dining and travel to Paris. The seductive lifestyle is not all it seems – there is a hard lesson to be learnt and a fall from grace as our protagonist begins her initiation into adult life.
Two of the three women that influence Jenny the most are her teacher and headmistress; both characters are jaded and unsatisfied in their careers. Danny’s wife is the polar opposite – beautiful and fashionable, but inept to appreciate the cultural experiences she can afford. Jenny lingers somewhere in between all three as she searches for her place.
The education of women in the 1960s, lack of career opportunities and the absence of inspiration and support for young women to enter the work force are thematic content of the film. It is set within a society undergoing serious culture change. Older generations continue to uphold marriage and a woman’s role as housewife as the most important path, while younger generations pitch themselves against this, valuing education and career as priority.
MIFF festival attendees were treated to a greeting by the film’s star Carey Mulligan, a guest of the Festival. Mulligan was no diva as she declared in her English accent everyone had been ‘lovely’. She is charming as the intelligent and charismatic Jenny alongside Peter Sarsgaard as David, and joined by a cast of well-known faces. Nick Hornby works his brilliance bringing witty dialogue, iconic of the novelist’s work, to the screenplay.
A romantic drama that is entertaining and light-hearted, An Education presents social attitudes without dwelling too heavily on them. It is a perfect Sunday evening movie with artistic integrity in clever and witty screenplay to justify the escapism.
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