Special Cinema Spotlight: An Education

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, 1960s Fashion, 1960s Hairstyles, Retro Fashion Blog,  An Education, Movies Set in the 60's


I heard so much about this film when it first came out but all I knew was that it was a coming of age story for the lead character, Jenny Mellor played by Carey Mulligan. An Education is set in 1961 in London and the story follows the 16 year old Jenny as she prepares for Oxford University.

Jenny's academic plans get sidelined when she meets a much older man named David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard) who charms her as well as her parents. The pair spend time with David's "business" partner Danny (Dominic Cooper) and his girlfriend Helen (Rosamund Pike). Jenny discovers some dishonest truths about David as well as some personal truths of her own.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, 1960s Fashion, 1960s Hairstyles, Retro Fashion Blog,  An Education, Movies Set in the 60's
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, 1960s Fashion, 1960s Hairstyles, Retro Fashion Blog,  An Education, Movies Set in the 60's
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, 1960s Fashion, 1960s Hairstyles, Retro Fashion Blog,  An Education, Movies Set in the 60's

I found this film to be a bit slower paced than I thought it would be. It wasn't jammed packed with fifty things happening at the same time that I had to be glued to the screen but it also wasn't 100% as captivating as I thought it would be either. I can say I really liked the film and I think I wouldn't mind owning the dvd of it at some point but I didn't see what everyone was clamoring about when the film came out in 2009.

I enjoy coming of age stories and I found the character to be very intelligent not only with books but with life. Although she was intelligent she didn't seem like a romantic sort of girl, more practical about things. so when the relationship between herself and David started I did see any sparks flying or hearts going aflutter. That disappointed me a bit because it seems she took romance, love, and sex as something a bit more casual than I would expect girls at that time to consider it. Perhaps it was the sign of the modernism coming to play when it came to women's topics and issues.

Taking those things into account I enjoyed watching it. I love English films and backdrop of London just made me want to pack my bags and move there.

Have you seen An Education? What did you think of it? Did you read the book by the same name?

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1 comment :

  1. I feel like a lot of movies that are very well reviewed can be a bit... well, boring. It's like the slower and more frustrating it is, the better critics will like it. That's not always true, and there are some prestige films that I've absolutely loved, but I think you have to take some of that acclaim with a little grain of salt.
    I haven't seen this movie, but I love the stills you posted! Those costumes look pretty amazing, particularly the coordinated leopard outfits.

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