Neal Vitale Reviews: An Education
October 19, 2009
4.5 stars out of 5
An Education is a sensitive and lovingly-rendered coming-of-age story of a sixteen-year-old girl in early 1960s London, deftly crafted by Danish director Lone Scherfig with an elegant and light touch. Based on a memoir by Lynn Barber and written for the screen by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About A Boy, Fever Pitch), An Education features a marvelous cast, led by Carey Mulligan (Pride & Prejudice) in the central role. Peter Sarsgaard (Kinsey, Jarhead, Elegy) is her suave and winsome suitor; Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Rosamund Pike (Fracture), Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey), Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), and Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!) all shine in smaller parts. But this is truly Mulligan's film, and her breakout performance suggests the start of a notable career.