It's well made and well acted, but after 40 or 50 minutes everything just falls apart. Or maybe it's just me tired of dumb moralizing.

Overrated creepy, unbelievable film. Parents pimping their daughter portrayed as comedic. Film is as manipulative and puerile as the central male character. Typical of the director's approach: if we don't like the schoolmaster's point of view, make her an anti-semitic monster. Heroine's wisdom at the end amounts to "been there, done that" as an epiphany.

I loved this movie. Carey Mulligan was amazing, she should have won the Oscar, in my opinion.

95/100. This film works on every level. It’s strongest appeal are the very richly developed characters. It is the key to the success of the film. The performances are wonderful. Carey Mulligan gives such a deep and perceptive performance. Alfred Molina is wonderful as her father. Cara Seymour is ideally cast as her understanding mother. Peter Sarsgaard is wonderful. Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike - wonderful. Superbly written and a genuine feel for the early 1960’s. Lone Sherfig's eloquent direction pulls the film together with such style and panache. A beautifully done film, outstanding. Nominated for three Academy Awards, best picture, writing and best actress for Carey Mulligan, who should have won.… Expand

A film that keeps you thinking, about your own upbringing, and the direction of the story. At times uncomfortable, and at times humorous, this film should be on everyone's must-see list

An almost perfect film. I generally despise coming of age tales and really hate older-man/young-girl stories. However, joy and energy pulsates from the screen. Will transport you back to the optimism of your youth before the hard truths start to pile up.

Carrey Mulligan was perfect...delivered wonderful performance. Love the movie style and pace, but kinda disappointed with weak ending...felt anti climax. Overall still a nice movie.

education is very important for life and also for death After providing background on the characteristics of “wicked problems” and how they can best be approached, the essay focuses on “commonplaces” that underlie professional work and accordingly should drive professional education (including legal education), thereby providing a fresh framework for actionable steps to improve legal education and the practice of law.It next S discusses the need to attend both to visible and invisible dimensions of problems in order to shape meaningful solutions and explains the importance of often unrecognized dynamics of learning and teaching as major forces that play crucial roles in legal education and curriculum reform. The essay then discusses the power of naming, offering an in-depth look at the nuances of “thinking like a lawyer” as understood by students and faculty members interviewed at sixteen diverse law schools in connection with the site visits that informed the Carnegie Report. It stresses the specific ways that first year case-dialogue instruction forces students to deal with uncertainty, one of the critical dimensions of professional practice, and unpacks the notion of “thinking like a lawyer” in ways that should prove illuminating for students and helpful for faculty members who seek to help students understand the resulting changes in epistemology that are so central to the first year of law school. It also considers the nature of the “case-dialogue method” and explains the ways in which that classic teaching technique plays a critical role in building students‘ abilities to think analytically. Finally, the essay considers one of legal education‘s most intransigent “wicked problems”: the upper division curriculum. Using insights from the theory of “wicked problems,”The essay endeavors to explain why upper division curriculum reform is so difficult. It then offers four strategies for “renegotiating” existing assumptions and practices in order to improve the upper division curriculum. These strategies (including purposeful redesign on the large scale, rethinking content, rethinking pedagogy, and re-balancing teaching and learning responsibilities) each of which are very likely need to be used in concert in order for meaningful improvements to occur. In particular, this portion of the essay incorporates insights from educational psychology and work on professional identity development in graduate students to stress the ways in which effective advanced curricular innovations should attend to the challenges faced by the current generation of students who, much more than those in past decades, face challenges in navigating changes in personal identity at the same time they confront the need to develop a sense of professional identity before leaving law school.… Expand

Geez, is Carey Mulligan ever going to look old? She pretty much looks 14 as she did five years ago in Bleak House. Here she plays a saucy smart 16 year old on her way to Oxford. You have no problem guessing where the story ends, but along the way Jenny, and her family, get a little different education than you’d predict. So this takes An Education a rung or two higher than the typical older man/school girl romance. Most of the humor comes from Alfred Molina as Jenny’s dad. Oh, there are a few laughs when Emma Thompson makes her too few appearances. And the fabulous Peter Sarsgaard and Rosamund Pike are right on the money. My only problem with the plot was the big reveal . . . it stretched credibility.… Expand

Started wonderfully, but seems to cop-out on its 'there's more to life than education' tale and instead opts for a startlingly (Time Out New York said it best;) 'moralistic' ending - That men are pigs and girls should stay in school 'because'. I'm also amazed that her teachers and headmistress had no insight into the purpose of education. Worth a watch for the performances.… Expand

An absolutely charming film about an era we will never see again. Carrie Mulligan's performance as an old teenager is spot on, while Alfred Molina hits a high mark as a father with doubts and fears that gets through life on stubborness. A MUST SEE FOR TEENAGERS, PARENTS, AND THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE '60'S.

An Education is acted out wonderfully, and newcomer Carey Mulligan is sharp and witty playing Jenny. Though it has a familiar plot, An Education never feels cliched or dull. It could have a better screenplay; the ending was a little too abrupt and blunt.

I'll remember the lovely face of the winsome lead actress, and not much else. It's a coming-of-age story that yields some rather wary laughs before turning into a morality tale.

"Mulligan was perfect"? What came over you, people?! She doesn't develop a character at all — in the end she's exactly as she was in the beginning of the story! I wish I could have 95 minutes of my life back.

An average feel-good film you'll soon forget.

Have just run across this dvd. what a wonderful zany movie! Carey Mulligan as the scheming Jenny (scheming, as she angles for a trip to Paris --& gets it!) is funny; Sarsgaard as David is wonderful; Rosamund Pike is hysterically funny as Helen (in one sense, not bright, but, in another sense, able to light up a room with her smile); Alfred Molina and ? (forgive my memory) were like my parents. You even get Emma Thompson and Olivia Williams. This is first-rate casting. The movie is based on British journalist Lynn Barber's memoir of her real life romance in the 1961 to 1963 period. Maybe the movie's release on dvd and the deserved Oscar nominations will allow more people a chance to see this. (You probably had to drive a long distance to see this on the big screen.) Please see this if you haven't already! (Second effort at posting as first effort resulted in script error message.)… Expand

Absolutely excellent film. One of the best films I've seen this year

Subtle and disarming. Her parents WERE my parents. Brilliantly acted, written, and directed.

If the movie had been about 1 minute shorter, stopping immediately after the scene where she asked her former English teacher for help, I would have rated it more highly. The last minute wraps things up too quickly, neatly and simply, making sure we know everything turns out all right. A typical ending for an American script, not a good European one.

Wonderful, faithfully recreated tale from a bygone non-pc era.

Spot-on evocation of a time, but more importantly, an achingly poignant, pitch-perfect portrait of an ultrabright young Englishwoman's coming of age. Hits you like a tidal wave, despite its conventional plot.

Excellent performance from Carey Mulligan, a few weaknbesses in the script was the only thing stopping this from being rated a touch higher.

This film raises and then skates breezily over some interesting feminist history. Ultimately, the motives of the main characters aren't believable. Carey Mulligan is wonderful, though.

As some have suggested, the plot is predictable, but oh the performances. And most of the characters and script are outstanding. Perhaps the father and the headmistress are overdrawn, but Jenny (Carey Mulligan) and David (Peter Sarsgaard) and their friends were well worth watching.

A medium disappointment. Sad to give it a 6, but that's what it deserves. It was choppy, had several technical mistakes, but watchable. Jenny was decent enough, but it didn't gel enough to be entertaining. The highlight was probably the 2 minutes of Beth Rowley – singing "You've Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger"... other than that, the trailer is better than the movie.

This is a beautiful film with engaging characters and a delightful real life plot. Jenny is wonderful as the not so naive young woman. The sixties, sort of, but not yet the sixties we now know.

A very hypnotic film. I hope that there will be some major awards ( and much wider distribution than currently here in the US ).

This is a mostly well-done movie with a knock-out performance at the center, and some nice ambiguities -- but there are some real problems with its (plural word coming) politics. A problem-and-a-half could have been handled easily if one doesn't mind a major change from a source, and this one doesn't: David is just "David" until Jenny discovers letters addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. David Gold." Make that "Mr. and Mrs. David Bulwer-Smythe," and have David's ethnicity and class remain ambiguous -- the man *is* a liar -- and that would help with the anti-Semitic undertone and middle-class anxiety about both the upper-class and lower-middle rung-grabbers. As the film stands, we have a Jewish adult male as a seducer of a nice gentile/Aryan, a Jew who is not just a thief but a block-busting realtor helping dark-skinned people move into the neighborhood. Emma Thompson's Headmistress's speech on Jews as Christ-killers is misdirectiion: the real fears insufficiently addressed are "The Lustful Jew" and "The International Jewish/Black Conspiracy." As others have said, the feminist message is undercut by having Headmistress antiJewish; its an additional problem when it confuses the anti-Semitism. The anti-Romantic message in the film is okay, but _An Education_ also teaches fear and distrust of adult strangers and reinforces (among other stereotypes) that of the Stupid Teen who needs to stick to her own kind and the conventional teachings of middle-class prudence. There's much to be said for such prudence, but chronic distrust of strangers reinforces age-segregation and helps eat away at social solidarity. I will seriously consider the message here next time I'm tempted to offer a lift to any teenager caught in the rain with the possibility of her -- or his, for that matter -- precious cello getting ruined. Adult strangers who offer a favor are obviously up to no good!… Expand

This is a must see! A real moviegoing experience!

Great acting and a scary/dreamy script with a distinctly different plot yet somehow it seems hollow.

I couldn't agree more with Time Out New York. I was onboard with the film until the abrupt and insulting ending which made everything that had preceded it much, much less interesting.

Did I miss something or did I just see 2009's equivalent of "Happy Go Lucky"? There was nothing fresh, original, or interesting about this film. We have seen the plot before and the ending was a let down. The entire film was a big let down. An 85 review. I do not see how!

Slow and I'm sorry but not very interesting. The performances were all good, but I don't really understand all the Oscar buzz. Alfred Molina is pretty great in it, but the rest drags.

The kind of movie with a script that will hardly take your eyes off the screen. A must see of 2009.

This is easily the best film I've seen this year. Jenny is a delight as a young lady both man - ipulative & man - ipulated, unwisely loving & trusting & unwisely loved & trusted. She uses & sins & is used & sinned against. But more sinned against than sinning. We love her zest, her gusto, & her determination, for no shrinking violet can she be. The film is based on fact, & it remains close to the original autobiography. A delightful recreation of a by-gone era. Please do see it !!!… Expand

In 2 hours while watching An Education, you witness the complete transformation of a school girl into a complex, refined woman, all in the beautiful Carey Mulligan, who critics are comparing to Audrey Hepburn, but without the black dress and sunglasses I see a young Diane Keaton throughout the movie. She is a definite lock for an Oscar Nomination. The rest of the cast, Alfred Molina, Olivia Williams and Rosamund Pike in paticular, are terrific in a smart, funny and poignant script under top notch direction by Lone Scherfig. An Education is going to be a major contender come awards season.… Expand

Loved it. One of the best movies of 2009. Carey Mulligan was wonderful. Alfred Molina was hysterically funny. Peter Sarsgaard was brilliant.

Carey Mulligan plays a naive teenager looking for fulfillment, torn between the wishes of her father, who pushes her to attend Oxford University, and an older womanizer who wants her to explore life while she is still young. The post-war English setting is great, along with all the performances, and the evolution of Mulligan's character makes the film well worth watching.

I remember hearing about this and thinking it would be a typical British melodrama. I was wrong because An Education is actually an entertaining and romantic drama that makes a star of its young star Carey Mulligan - whose presence on screen is truly remarkable. Her performance as the 16 year old Jenny who falls for the much older Peter Sarsgaard, is simply sublime. Alfred Molina as the father, Jack is brilliant and at times, hilarious. The film itself is nicely put together and it's like a giant homage to the 60's school life. That's a good thing.… Expand

An Education is a great movie. Carey Mulligan could be the next Natalie Portman. It's one of the best British films ever made. I loved it. Be sure to see it.

Having missed this in theaters was glad to see it on Netflix instant - anticipated an excellent film. Boy was I disappointed and weirded out. The premise is absurd - older guy semi-stalks 16 yr old and then gets her parents' permission to not only date her but etc. So on that level quite pervy and bizarre. Add to that the older guy is "a Jew" who is rather shady on several levels, and his Jewishness is made a central theme. So we have a pervy older Jew corrupting a beautiful young thing with her parents' blissful encouragement. Please - this is supposed to be charming? It's perverse. Yuch.… Expand

Within the film industry, there are types of movies that are created simply to just please the eye or take a break from the monotony of life for a couple hours of adrenaline and testosterone. While there are some that are created to inspire its audience in some positive or even a negative way. A perfect example of an inspirational movie that anyone average movie goer can relate to is Disney Pixar's Up, which depicts an elderly man overcoming his dull and boring life to reach a life filled with substance. One can say that An Education follows the same model, but instead of achieving a life filled with pleasure and glamor, it shows an individual having this coveted life, and eventually losing it. An Education is the screen adaptation of author Nick Hornby's, writer of About A Boy, screenplay with the identical title. It is a coming-of-age story about a high school student from London named Jenny, Carey Mulligan, who embarks on a relationship with a man twice her own age, with this relationship she receives a life that any teenager would dream to have. An Education is Carey Mulligan's breakthrough role, who has been unknown to the general audience starring in small roles such as last year's Public Enemies. This movie does a fantastic job in introducing the actress, whose maturity resembles an actress much older. Jenny then eventually comes to a dark conclusion about this rich-filled life. Spoilers set aside, the dark conclusion is very inspiring in both a dark and negative way and depicts really how life truly is. An Education, in simple words, does things right. Its star-studded English cast, which includes Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, and Rosamund Pike(Pride & Prejudice), shines as they represent various types of characters. From a rich unintelligent woman, to an average instructor that one encounters in day-to-day life. It's artistic view of London, the night-life, and Paris, is simply beautiful due to it's simplicity. It's dialogue that adds to both character development and subtle humor. The soundtrack filled with vintage and classical tunes that add to the overall mood of the story. And it ultimately conveys a true life, a life that's possible, and how it possesses both good times and bad. Some negative aspects of the movie include racial stereotypes expressed by the author. The movie is filled with some anti-semitic feelings that are somewhat unnecessary for the film. This ambiguity towards the Jewish community is totally irrelevant to the story, and could have been left out. The only positivity of this aspect is that it portrays racial feelings expressed in 1960s London. But even at that, it could have been removed. Overall, An Education is one of my favorite films of 2009. I cannot really say what inspired me from this movie due to spoiler reasons, but I can say that every student should watch it. It really shows why it's all important, and that life doesn't have its shortcuts. An Education has been recently nominated for Best Picture, but will be sadly overshadowed by hyped films such as Avatar, or Inglorious Basterds. Carey Mulligan is my pick for Best Actress because her performance is truly impeccable, but I have a feeling Sandra Bullock's overhyped performance in "The Blind Side," will beat it. Anyway, awards set aside, An Education is a remarkable film, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a film with purpose.… Expand

This movie is just utterly amazing. Carey Mulligan displays such passion in this role, I truly believe that she is someone to watch in the future. I have never been a huge fan of Peter Sarsgaard especially after watching the orphan the previous night, but this film restored my faith in him as an actor. The only downfall I felt that this film had was its ending, I left feeling unsatisfied, I wanted a bigger ending, I wanted to know more about Peter's character. However in hindsight this movie is truly inspirational and I wish that my age group saw films like this instead of the trashy movies advertised on MTV.… Expand

The major failing of this film is that for much of its duration, the film is dominated by unsympathetic characters. Carey Mulligan's Jenny begins a precocious show-off that simply doesn't do enough to win the audience over in the first act to make us care about her undoing in the second. Peter Sarsgaard's David has too much screen-time with no purpose other than to reinforce his unwholesome motivations which, unfortunately, are screamingly obvious from the outset. The films soul lies with the Jenny's father and teacher (Alfred Molina and Olivia Williams on excellent form) -- underused characters the resolution of whose plotlines serve to make the film's final quarter of an hour by far its most entertaining. Half a good film. The underused Olivia Williams and Alfred Molina are… Expand

An Education is a tastefully crafted movie with good characters, acting and a meaningful story to important life lessons. The film makers did a good job not over complicating the story, unneeded conflict is far too common in most modern films and this movie manages to get a good balance. I felt cultured and that I had learnt something after watching this movie, the female lead also plays a fun and interesting character worth remembering. Recommended… Expand

Crammed with great acting and powerful storytelling, An Education rises above the normal romantic film by providing a realistic sense of life and a bold point to make sure it stands out. Although the second half falls low in character; it is no secret that An Education is an excellent film. Particular praise to Carey Mulligan, who offers a strong and diverse performance.