Comments on: Film review – An Education (2009)

By: Thomas Caldwell

Thomas Caldwell — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:32:37 +0000

Hi Jim

It’s a pity you didn’t enjoy An Education more but I suppose we can’t all like everything. I know what you mean about the cigarette smoking but I forgave it in this case as I thought it was appropriate for the period it was set in. I had no problem with the dialogue so I wonder if that was more an issue to do with the sound quality in the particular cinema that you were in rather than the film itself?

Thanks for your comments
Thomas

By: Jim Griffith

Jim Griffith — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:26:14 +0000

I was appalled by all the cigarette smoking. Much of the British dialog was mumbled and often unintelligible.

The scenery and the music was somewhat redeeming, but I expected much more.

By: mmmmmmm

mmmmmmm — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:59:30 +0000

Focus on the mother – talk about sublimation! she knows in her bones what is going on but wants the excitment for her daughter that she knows she will never have. And the Dominic Cooper character – he is half in love with Jenny himself and knows that she is out of their class. Witness his comment about ‘taste’ ie she has it and they never will. But most of all I liked Helen even if she kept slipping into a Patsy Stone accent and attitude. She is stupid and at some level knows it but you feel she is good hearted. What will become of her? probably become Patsy Stone. All this goes to how multi layered and nuanced the film is.

By: lucyfoxx

lucyfoxx — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:07:23 +0000

Don’t know why Peter Saarsgard was the only one I referred to by his character name?! Maybe cos it was the character of David which was charming/creepy. But a credit to Saarsgard for managing to make him charming at all!

By: lucyfoxx

lucyfoxx — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:03:28 +0000

Yes, I have to say that I loved this film. There was absolutely something about it that was a bit disturbing under the surface, and thought that was what made it more than just a little, romantic movie. It has stayed with me since I saw it on the weekend. Thought the script was great, Carey was fabulous, David was charming and creepy in equal measure. And Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike were perfect as David’s friends, revealing the darker underbelly of the story, and providing comic relief in equal measure. In short, excellent.

By: David O'Connell

David O'Connell — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:14:42 +0000

For me, this couldn’t have hung together any better. I first saw it at MIFF and it was a real highlight there. Easily one of the best screenplays I’ve seen brought to life in ages; it has the perfect balance of comedy and poignancy, light and dark shadings. I really hope Nick Hornby gets an Oscar nom for this, though he most likely won’t I suppose. Another nom for Carey Mulligan wouldn’t be out of line either.

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:11:34 +0000

Yeah I realised that, but I still think it didn’t hang together properly! I can’t quite put my finger on it though.

By: Thomas Caldwell

Thomas Caldwell — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:53:15 +0000

I think the point was that the parents were just as seduced by David’s charms as Jenny was. The film is set right before the cultural explosion in England so somebody like David at that time could have perceivably seemed incredibly impressive to an English middle-class suburban family like that one Jenny came from.

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:45:26 +0000

Hmm I saw this on the weekend.

Although I agree with all you said above, it was a case of despite all the elements being there, a great film did not materialise.

It just didn’t hang together convincingly to me, despite the great performances, gorgeous styling etc. There was something unsettling about it. Usually I’d just be intrigued and amused, but this time I was slimed out and felt it should have gotten a grittier treatment – especially why the parents were so easily hoodwinked. They may have been ordinary people but at the end of the day their 16 year old daughter was being taken away for weekends by a shonky dude in his 30s – no alarm bells – at all? Really?