An Education

Carey Mulligan shines and how :-)

*** Spoilers ahead ***

An Education is a simple, well made movie shouldered brilliantly by Oscar nominee (well deserved) Carey Mulligan. Playing Jenny, she conveys teen angst, playfulness, excitement, rebellion, hurt, confusion, happiness in a supremely delicious subtle manner. Bravo girl!!!
Looking like a young Katie Holmes (well atleast when she played Joey Potter from Dawson Creek, and looked less Mrs.Beckham lol), cute-as-a-button Carey pulls off the character convincingly. Peeling back layers in her character - young, wide eyed, giggly teen, whose only act of defiance was stealing a smoke with her gal pals, going dizzy with all the luxuries her heart longed for, compromising on her morals, ending up heartbroken but wiser - Carey turns in a pitch perfect performance.

The plot revolves around a young girl who has everything going for her, atleast not counting Latin translation, a constant reminder that she has to make it to Oxford (which she would anyway!!!) and ofcourse BOREDOM - what happens when she meets with an older man, David (played convincingly by Peter Sarsgaard), and is seduced into loving him and his lifestyle. David is not your regular sleazy old man lusting after PYTs, he is quite charming, proof being he has not only Jenny but also her parents eating out of his hands. He has impeccable taste and the means to indulge in the best.

I would suggest sit out patiently and wait, everything is answered in time and in a simple, crisp manner. No discourses here.... after all neither the audience nor 17 yr old Jenny have the patience do they??? The supporting cast rally well. I am not aware of the nitty gritties of the period (the movie is set in 1961 in the UK), but I think they manage well to create the mood and the setting.

But I reiterate, the star here is Carrey Mulligan, doing complete justice to her part and making the movie eminently watchable.