Movie Review: An Education

An Education (2010) 

Directed by Lone Scherfig

Written by Nick Hornby

Starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, Emma Thompson

Release Date February 5th, 2010

Published March 17th, 2010 

Wading through the “A Star is Born” hype surrounding Carey Mulligan in “An Education” is a bit of a chore. Coming to the movie late as I am; research is filled with endless paeans to her brilliance and innumerable comparisons of Carey Mulligan to Audrey Hepburn. If I sound a little bitter it has nothing to do with Ms. Mulligan's actual performance. It's that I find it hard to move about the muck of repeated praise and find my own feelings.

Carey Mulligan stars in “An Education” as Jenny, a 16-year-old with dreams of Oxford University and romantic sojourns to Paris with some lovely boy of her future. Jenny's parents, Jack and Marjorie (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour), don't mind Jenny’s daydreaming as long as it doesn't interfere with good grades and extracurricular activities such as band.

Jenny's first real distraction arrives in the form of a sports car and the charming cad inside. The cad is David and while he feigns interest in keeping Jenny’s cello from getting wet in the rain, his real interest is apparent to everyone. Jenny is naïve but not unaware. She accepts the ride home and is soon accepting much more.

David offers Jenny the life she has daydreamed about; including that romantic Parisian adventure. Meanwhile he charms her parents so thoroughly that he could have his way with Jenny in their home if he chose to. If 35-year-old David's designs on 16-year-old Jenny weren't troubling enough, he has even more sinister secrets waiting to be revealed.

“An Education” was directed by Lone Scherfig, a Danish director making her English language debut. Scherfig shows that a young girl coming of age is a relatively universal story no matter your country of origin. Many a beautiful young girl will find elements of their own lives reflected in Jenny's wide eyed willingness to be seduced. The allure of the older man, with the daddy issues inherent, is yet another seemingly universal story reflected in “An Education.”

The script from Nick Hornby, only his second screenplay, the first not based on his own work, is bittersweet, intelligent and warm in its way. Jenny's life at home is not miserable or drab, just realistically dull, as seen from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl. Hornby does a terrific job of balancing the dull home life with the adventurous life with David, never making either seem overly hellish or overly romantic.

Ms. Mulligan is a radiant presence who never overplays Jenny's youth or faux worldliness. Her talent with Jenny is capturing the moment and one in particular stands out. In a nightclub with David and his friends after a night at the symphony, Jenny smokes her first cigarette. Watch the way she balances Jenny's embarrassment with a desperate attempt to look like she belongs. It's a little detail but so knowing and a great instinctual acting moment. None of the other characters had taken notice, well aware of how young she really is, but Jenny knew and that's what Ms. Mulligan knew.

Carey Mulligan adds these seemingly minor but brilliant touches throughout “An Education.” Her supporting cast is right there with her. Peter Sarsgard has not been this good since his degenerate performance in Zach Braff's, “Garden State.” Alfred Molina deserves an Oscar nomination for his controlled doddering as Jenny's dad and Cara Seymour is the quiet soul of the film, supportive, frightened but stalwart and trusting.

It's a fabulous cast and a very well told story. So what is holding back my appreciation? There is a musty quality to “An Education.” The film is set in the 60's so, of course, the filmmakers want to give a feel for the time, I get that. What I am talking about is content not quality; it's an exceptional re-creation of period. My issue is the values and ideas of the film that feel old and dated. The link that baby boomers have to Paris as the embodiment of sophistication and romantic adventure is severed for my generation. We are more likely to think of New York or even London before Paris. The idea makes the film feel old, even if it is true for the character and her time.

Emma Thompson's cameo as an officious schoolmarm holds one of the film's other pitfalls. As she shoulders her way into the film as a representation of an authority the film simply doesn't need, Ms. Thompson’s cameo sticks out, calls attention to itself.

Finally, in the third act another actress is employed to force the ending back to an acceptable place for the simple audience. Olivia Williams plays a teacher with convenient sympathies and paves the way to a much easier ending than what may have been true for the situation.

These are minor quibbles really. “An Education” is in so many ways a brilliant movie, maybe one of the best of the year. Just, be forewarned if you are approaching “An Education” based on the amazing hype you may come away as slightly disappointed as I am.

Movie Review Italian for Beginners

Italian for Beginners (2000) 

Directed by Lone Scherfig 

Written by Lone Scherfig 

Starring Anders Berthelsen 

Release Date December 8th, 2000

Published November 4th, 2002

Unless you are a film student or scholar, you probably have never heard of Dogme 95. Dogme is a movement begun by a group of European directors at a conference in 1995. The goal was to counter certain tendencies in cinema by returning to its simplest, most basic forms. A Dogme 95 manifesto was created to define how a Dogme film was to be shot. All shooting must be done on location. The film must be shot on video, using natural light and sound. No music is allowed unless it is played on location during shooting. No sound effects are permitted unless they come from the ambient noise of the location. No genre movies and various other rules meant ensure that characters and story are stressed above all else. Italian For Beginners is the first Dogme 95 film I have seen, and based on this film I will seek more Dogme films.

Set in Denmark, Italian For Beginners follows the interconnected lives of six people who attend the same Italian language class. Anders Bertelsen plays Andreas, the new pastor of the local church. Peter Gantzler is Jorgen a schlubby Hotel clerk. Lars Kaalund is Halfinn, Jorgen’s best friend and the new teacher of the Italian class. Ann Eleonora Jorgensen is Karen, a hairdresser who is dating Halfinn. Anette Stovelback is Olympia, a bakery worker, who, after the death of her father and mother finds out she has a sister who just happens to be Karen. Sandra Indio Jensen is Giulia, a friend of Halfinn’s who has a crush on the clueless Jorgen.

Italian For Beginners is about these unusual characters and the far more unusual connections. It is a very realistic film, the story is plausible, and the Dogme style gives the film a voyeuristic feel, as if you were watching real lives in progress. The style of shooting overwhelms the attention to the story (something that I assume happens in most Dogme films.) As a viewer, your attention is more often drawn to the locations, lighting, and sound than it is to the story and characters. At times, you lose track of characters and their back stories, which can be confusing. Still, the story is heartfelt and humorous and the characters are engaging and likable (save for Hafinn, though I’m sure that is by design.)

Italian For Beginners is most notable for it’s Dogme 95 affiliation and based on that alone I could recommend it. As an introduction to Dogme, this film is a valuable tool. That it also has a good heart and interesting characters is a bonus.