The one thing I have learned to do when criticising movies, is to always go in with low expectations. That way you won't be disappointed, and if a film is outstanding (like last week's Zombieland) it will always come as a big surprise. Sometimes it's hard not to go in with high expectations; maybe the new Pixar, or a sequel to an outstanding movie, or in my case, a Clint Eastwood film. An Education falls into the catagory of having very high expectations. Maybe because I had an interest in it. I spend one cold May day last year in a house in Highgate, lifting, putting down and carrying a very large painting in my role of auctioneer's assistant. So I was really looking forward to see the finished product. Unfortunately, it didn't reach those high expectations.
It's the early 60s, and Jenny is 16 years-old. She is bright, intelligent and attends an all-girls school and is academically achieving (apart from in Latin). Her father is pushing her to to become an Oxford University student, while she listens to French singers and dreams of a romantic lifestyle. Then David enters her life. An older, worldly-wise man who introduces her to new experiences outside the halls of learning. She is taken to jazz clubs, auctions, dog racing and, her dreams come true, as well as her friends, a trip to Paris. David, however, has a secret that could ruin her life forever.
This is a well made movie with a good cast of talented actors. Emma Thompson makes a guest appearance as the head mistress of the school; Olivia Williams is her English teacher; Rosamund Pike is one of David's friends along with Dominic Cooper. So you see the cast is strong. The film is directed by award winning Danish director Lone Scherfig, who gave us the excellent Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, so it's in the hands of someone who can handle drama. The screenplay is from one of my favourite writers, Nick Hornby, the man who gave us High Fidelity and Fever Pitch, so the words should be great. What went wrong? Well, with all the best intentions in the world, it is incredibly dull.
Peter Sarsgaard, taking the part of David, does a very good job at the English gent, smooth as silk and absolutely charming, but he lacks something that I cannot put my finger on. The film's two strong points are Alfred Molina, as the over-powering father. His presence alone lifts the film, giving a nicely timed comic creation without making it feel like he is in the wrong movie. The creme of the film, however, is newcomer Carey Mulligan as Jenny. She is definitely an actress to look out for, as she commands the film throughout and is enormously watchable.
So how did it go so wrong? For a film that is a little over 90 mins, it feels like it. The pace drags in places, and while we experience Jenny's new world, I wondered, is it really that exciting? Sarsgaard, Cooper and Pike are all great actors, and yet they aren't given enough for us to really think that someone like Jenny, with intelligence coming out of every part of her, really would fall for their somewhat dull existence.
After several watch checks, this drama drew to an end, an even slower ending, and I thought, this was a waste of what could have been an outstanding tale of a young girl in a land of make-believe, where dreams don't always come true. Don't get me wrong, this isn't terrible, it just didn't ignite.
As for my performance? Well all I can say, during the auction scene, it's the best back performance you will ever see.
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