An Education

Had a chance to see another of the Best Picture contenders. An Education is a school girl in 1960s England who jumps at the chance to escape from her relatively humdrum existence to live a bohemian lifestyle with an older man. It's well written (Nick Hornby, adapted from someone's memoirs), well acted (especially the young Carey Mulligan and Alfred Molina), and generally well put together.

Structurally, I had a few problems. The big "problem" or hurdle that the main character has to overcome doesn't actually occur until towards the very end of the movie. This is problematic, in that the beginning of the film drags a bit without much tension. Throughout, there's the obvious discomfort that most viewers will experience with the youth of the main character and her relationship with an older man. In fact, its almost unbelievable to the audience that main character is so comfortable with the relationship since she's portrayed as someone with a pretty level head and not one to take crazy risks.

When it comes down to it, the message of the film is a little muddled as well. Choose the boring life? There are no shortcuts? Don't trust anyone?

In reading what I've written, I feel I may have been a little harsh. The movie was actually pretty good and I wasn't bothered by many of these things while watching. It's just after thinking about it for a little bit that some of the structural issues jumped out at me... I'd still recommend this one, if for nothing else than Mulligan's sensitive and ranged performance. Best picture? I'd say no. But they nominated ten films in a so-so year. What can you expect?