An Education

Rating

Director

Lone Scherfig

Screenplay

Nick Hornby (Memoir: Lynn Barber)

Length

1h 40m

Starring

Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams, Sally Hawkins, Matthew Beard, Ellie Kendrick, Ashley Rice

MPAA Rating

PG-13

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Review

What is the value of cautionary tales without real-world experience? An Education offers an intriguing view of a young woman who gets a lesson she won’t soon forget.

Carey Mulligan stars as Jenny Mellor, an aspiring cellist who meets David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard), an older man. He shows her the life of culture and adventure she longs for but at what price? While the audience eventually suspects that David’s ulterior motives may be far more selfish than he initially lets on, they are nevertheless swept along with his charm just like Jenny’s concerned parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour). The film also stars Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike, two of David’s sophisticated friends who participate in several of his cultural excursions.

One of her teachers (Olivia Williams) remains the one figure in her life who isn’t taken in by the guise David puts up but her admonitions fall on deaf ears for a girl as impressionable as Jenny. Emma Thompson also has a brief role in the film as the headmistress of the school Jenny is attending with whom she argues during one of the film’s second-act turns.

Based on a memoir by British journalist Lynn Barber, Nick Hornby’s erudite screenplay takes the film’s title to heart, juxtaposing the education Jenny is currently receiving from her school and the real-world education she receives through her relationship with David. It’s a solid screenplay sold better by the skilled actors giving the characters voice. Mulligan is outstanding, delivering a terrific breakthrough performance that became the first of her surprisingly scant three Oscar nominations. Her coming of age journey is beautifully rendered, a capable and involving portrait of a naïve schoolgirl whose innocence and trust are abused by a narcissist only interested in his own emotional satisfaction.

Although Sarsgaard carefully portrays David as a charming, debonair, man of the world, he subtly shifts his tone and intent as the film progresses showcasing for the audience why they should be worried about his machinations while understanding how Jenny’s blind excitement has clouded her judgement. Each plays magnificently off of one another setting up a compelling journey for both characters.

Each is aided by Lone Scherfig’s subtle direction allowing scenes to create just the right amount of tension to concern the audience while perfectly encapsulating the ignorance of danger in each situation. Williams, Molina, Cooper, and Pike all deliver strong performances, making this chamber piece stand above its contemporaries.

An Education is a fascinating character study of a young woman who must learn her lessons the hard way rather than heeding the advice of those her senior. It encapsulates the challenges facing young people, especially women, who have too little experience to recognize the dangers the face. Unfortunately, its tone and content aren’t likely to appeal to younger audiences who will benefit most from its themes.

Review Written

September 25, 2025