The Freak's Rating: A- : Some films can take a subject matter that is somewhat disturbing and easily twist it into an easily digestible cinematic experience. American Beauty comes to mind. An adult's obsession over a teenage girl seems twisted, and most definitely is, yet through brilliant filmmaking audiences were wildly entertained by it.
An Education deals with the interesting proposition of a young girl being seduced by a man nearly twice her age. The lunacy of such an idea from a legal standpoint may seem matter of fact, but this is England in the 1960s. There isn't near as much attention paid to age as relationships go there as in America, especially at that time in history. Regardless, there is an awkwardness throughout this film that is never quite erased, causing for me a minor stain on a near perfect presentation.
There are films that can define a career, and An Education is just that for young Carey Mulligan. An absolutely adorable face, she easily is the best newcomer of the year and deserves every accolade sent her way. Mulligan was nominated and deservedly so (far more than Sandra Bullock...that still makes me laugh). Similarly, old-timers like Emma Thompson and Alfred Molina are showcased here with some of the finest acting talents around. I believe Molina should have secured a nomination for his turn as Jenny's father. Sarsgaard is a bit heavy casting by the filmmakers and falls relatively flat in a few scenes, which is the only reason I would hasten to call this one of the year's best.
Performances aside, this is a great coming of age tale that at times breaks your heart and at others makes it swell with pride, admiration and love. Feeling anything when confined to a three square foot box of space, tucked in between two armrests armed with candy and popcorn is a tough task for any director/writer/actor to accomplish. It is pulled off here, but with a few tweaks could have easily been in my running for the best of the year.
