Everything about An Education

A true masterpiece.

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Hmm, definitely an interesting movie. I caught it at a film festival last year, and honestly, it didn't quite hit the mark for me like I thought it would. Still, I’d say it sits comfortably in the upper tier of average films.
It checked all the boxes for what makes a great movie: stellar acting, roles that felt like they had incredible potential, a gripping plot, and such engaging settings and locations. The cinematography and staging were top-notch too—basically, all the perfect ingredients for a charmingly simple and irresistible film. But somehow, it just didn't come together. It was just okay, rather than being truly beautiful.

I wouldn't exactly call it a masterpiece : )
but it is good—definitely good.
I've always liked Nick Hornby, and the film is lovely; that little girl is wonderful, too.
The movie feels relatively "light"—I guess they could have tackled the themes and relationships with much more gravity—but it works this way; it's just sweet, charming, and a really beautiful film.

I'm getting ready to watch this, mostly because the director is behind one of my absolute favorite "Dogme" films. Let's see how much of that manifesto actually remains in this one. 😁

Watched it last night. Wasn't blown away, but it's a solid enough watch. Rosamund Pike was killer 🙂

Michelle Flores40 said:I'm getting ready to watch this, mostly because the director is behind one of my absolute favorite "Dogme" films. Let's see how much of that manifesto actually remains in this one. 😁

If you're talking about "Italian," that's easily one of the best Dogme entries for me too.
As far as the manifesto goes? Once it hits AMC Theatres, it's basically gone, but I'm genuinely curious to see how Scherfig handles the mainstream scene.

I've heard people calling it banal, but honestly, it's actually really good. We'll see.

I went to see this movie without any prior info, other than a trailer I actually liked and the fact that Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay, which I figured would be a huge selling point. To be honest, I don't even know who directed it now, because after enduring two hours of pure torture, I didn't even care to find out.
Then I check Rotten Tomatoes and see a 94% rating?! Okay, look, I know you can't argue with taste—beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that—but personally, I thought the film was a bit of a disaster and nowhere near a masterpiece.
First off, the relationships between most of the characters felt incredibly cliché and superficial to me, and the plot felt about as deep as something out of Gloria:

*** SPOILER ALERT *****

It’s just girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl finds out he's married (or some other tragic twist like a terminal illness, like _______). How does such a bright, intelligent girl end up hanging out with a bunch of crooks? And what exactly was the lesson Jennyna took away from her relationship with David—that even if he wasn't married, she'd have married him anyway and abandoned her studies? Also, why does Danny, who clearly has the same moral compass as David, suddenly start acting so high and mighty and cut ties with David just because he proposes to Jenny? His character feels so incredibly thin. What even drives him?
And the icing on the cake? David. Just awful. The actor in this role is just painfully slimy. First, they shower us with these half-romantic images that lack any hint of anything provocative or sexual... I mean, jeez, the girl is 16... I get the whole vibe of Lolita film, but most of this movie doesn't even lean into sexual undertones, so after a while, you stop expecting them... because you think it isn't that kind of movie... and then those two scenes in the hotel room, especially the one with the banana. WTF?! Then there's her last line, something along the lines of: the guy asked if I wanted to visit Paris with him, and I never told him I'd already seen Paris... Is Paris supposed to be a symbol for her virginity? Because if it isn't, and it's just meant to represent an exotic destination for a girl who hasn't seen much of the world, they could have picked somewhere even more exotic like India, instead of France, which is basically right next door. 😬
I just couldn't bring myself to get swept up in the "romance" of the film... if there even was any...

*spoilers*

Morgan Ortiz91 said:I went to see this movie without any prior info, other than a trailer I actually liked and the fact that Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay, which I figured would be a huge selling point. To be honest, I don't even know who directed it now, because after enduring two hours of pure torture, I didn't even care to find out.
Then I check Rotten Tomatoes and see a 94% rating?! Okay, look, I know you can't argue with taste—beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that—but personally, I thought the film was a bit of a disaster and nowhere near a masterpiece.
First off, the relationships between most of the characters felt incredibly cliché and superficial to me, and the plot felt about as deep as something out of Gloria:

*** SPOILER ALERT *****

It’s just girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl finds out he's married (or some other tragic twist like a terminal illness, like _______). How does such a bright, intelligent girl end up hanging out with a bunch of crooks? And what exactly was the lesson Jennyna took away from her relationship with David—that even if he wasn't married, she'd have married him anyway and abandoned her studies? Also, why does Danny, who clearly has the same moral compass as David, suddenly start acting so high and mighty and cut ties with David just because he proposes to Jenny? His character feels so incredibly thin. What even drives him?
And the icing on the cake? David. Just awful. The actor in this role is just painfully slimy. First, they shower us with these half-romantic images that lack any hint of anything provocative or sexual... I mean, jeez, the girl is 16... I get the whole vibe of Lolita film, but most of this movie doesn't even lean into sexual undertones, so after a while, you stop expecting them... because you think it isn't that kind of movie... and then those two scenes in the hotel room, especially the one with the banana. WTF?! Then there's her last line, something along the lines of: the guy asked if I wanted to visit Paris with him, and I never told him I'd already seen Paris... Is Paris supposed to be a symbol for her virginity? Because if it isn't, and it's just meant to represent an exotic destination for a girl who hasn't seen much of the world, they could have picked somewhere even more exotic like India, instead of France, which is basically right next door. 😬
I just couldn't bring myself to get swept up in the "romance" of the film... if there even was any...

birds of a feather flock together, even if at first she didn't really know what they did for a living and you can't say she didn't have doubts once she found out... ☕

What lesson did Jennyna learn from her relationship with David—that even if he weren't married, she would've married him anyway and wouldn't have finished her studies?

The lesson (cliché): no pain, no gain, and no easy life... 🧐
(actually there is, but that's not how this movie works)

Why does Danny, who has the same morals as David, suddenly start acting all moralistic and end his friendship with David when he proposes to Jenny?

He doesn't have the same morals; Danny actually cares about Jenny... 🙂

His character is just totally shallowly written. What even motivates him?

Easy money and good times... 🙂

Is Paris a symbol for her virginity?

Paris is the city of love, art, and fashion... 🙂

I somehow couldn't get into the "romance" of the film... if there even is any...

I mean, come on, that banana scene is peak romance! 🙂

* spoilers *

rustyscout34 said:*spoilers*

birds of a feather flock together, even if at first she didn't really know what they did for a living and you can't say she didn't have doubts once she found out... ☕

What lesson did Jennyna learn from her relationship with David—that even if he weren't married, she would've married him anyway and wouldn't have finished her studies?

The lesson (cliché): no pain, no gain, and no easy life... 🧐
(actually there is, but that's not how this movie works)

Why does Danny, who has the same morals as David, suddenly start acting all moralistic and end his friendship with David when he proposes to Jenny?

He doesn't have the same morals; Danny actually cares about Jenny... 🙂

His character is just totally shallowly written. What even motivates him?

Easy money and good times... 🙂

Is Paris a symbol for her virginity?

Paris is the city of love, art, and fashion... 🙂

I somehow couldn't get into the "romance" of the film... if there even is any...

I mean, come on, that banana scene is peak romance! 🙂

then I'll obviously need to redefine my whole perspective on what romance actually looks like 😢

Morgan Ortiz91 Asks:
It begins with the typical, almost predictable trajectory of a modern romance. A woman meets a man—there is an immediate, unforced connection, the kind that feels both effortless and inevitable. She falls, quite deeply and without reservation, convinced she has finally stumbled upon something genuine in a world of superficiality. Then comes the inevitable, crushing pivot. The truth surfaces, and it is always devastating: he is married, or perhaps he is facing a terminal diagnosis, or some other catastrophic reality that renders the entire affair a beautiful, doomed mistake. It is the classic architecture of heartbreak, stripped of its romantic pretension and laid bare in all its cruelty.

You can strip any film down to its basic components, but I honestly don't see what you're trying to achieve here. Even if they had finished together, someone would still find a reason to complain that the movie had a conventional, predictable ending. ☕

How does a girl that sharp and brilliant end up running with a pack of thieves?

Have you ever actually been in a relationship, or do you at least know someone who has? 😁
Believe it or not, when it comes to falling in love, IQ is completely irrelevant.

Besides that, by the time she actually realized they were stealing, she had already been caught red-handed.

What lesson did Jennyna actually take away from her relationship with David?

In this life, you can only truly rely on yourself.

Why on earth is Danny—who possesses the exact same moral compass as I David—suddenly acting like a saint and cutting ties with David just because he asked Jenny out?

Where exactly does this idea come from—that Danny possesses the same moral compass as David? When it comes to women, Danny has a girlfriend and he isn't cheating on her. His issue was with David's behavior, and if you actually pay attention to their dialogue, it’s clear that Jenny isn't some isolated incident. It's evident that Danny simply doesn't want to see Jenny get hurt.

Danny: Are you actually aware of the implications here, old man? What you're doing with Jenny?
David: This is the one, Danny.
Right.
You see, she’s different.
Danny: I simply have no desire to witness her suffering.

And the icing on the cake—David. It’s just awful. That actor is beyond greasy in this role. First, we’re bombarded with a heap of these pseudo-romantic images that don't even hint at anything scandalous or sexual...

It isn't sappy; it’s just masculine. 🙂
It wasn't the musical instrument that caused him to pull the car over; it was her. He saw her and simply had to stop. Honestly, even back then, it was painfully obvious to me that he wanted her.
As for why it took him so long to actually make his move—well, that’s simply because David is a gentleman.

Her final sentence was written in that specific style: some guy asked her if she wanted to go to Paris with him, and she didn't even tell him she’d already been there... Is Paris acting as a sort of symbolic stand-in for her virginity?

Maybe she’s already been to Paris on her parents' dime.

Because if she hasn't, and it's just some exotic destination for a girl who hasn't seen anything of the world...

She knows way more about Paris; she speaks the language, she's familiar with French literature, and she views Paris as this romantic escape—yet you're suggesting she head off to gritty India? lol.

I somehow couldn't get into the "romanticism" of the film at all... if such a thing even exists...

It doesn't matter; someone will 😁

I found the movie to be absolutely stellar, mostly because it doesn't pretend to be some profound, deep masterpiece, which is honestly such a relief given that we're talking about a story centered on a sixteen-year-old girl. I think I’ve just reached my limit with all that pseudo-intellectual teenage babble, so I felt the entire context of the plot was actually quite well-suited to the reality of 1960s Britain.

Alfred Molina, Carey, and Peter Sarsgaard were all fantastic; I have to say, the latter really caught me off guard with his performance. 🙂

northerntrucker2 said:I found the movie to be absolutely stellar, mostly because it doesn't pretend to be some profound, deep masterpiece, which is honestly such a relief given that we're talking about a story centered on a sixteen-year-old girl. I think I’ve just reached my limit with all that pseudo-intellectual teenage babble, so I felt the entire context of the plot was actually quite well-suited to the reality of 1960s Britain.

Alfred Molina, Carey, and Peter Sarsgaard were all fantastic; I have to say, the latter really caught me off guard with his performance. 🙂

The script is actually based on the memoirs of an American journalist who lived through the whole ordeal.

Barber said:[/URL] "What did I get from Simon? An education -- the thing my parents always wanted me to have... I learned about expensive restaurants and luxury hotels and foreign travel , i learned about antiques and Bergman films and Classical Music. But actually there was a much bigger bonus than that. my experience with Simon entirely cured my craving for sophistication. By the time I got to Oxford, i wanted nothing more Than to meet kind , decent boys my own age, no matter if they were gauche or virgins. I would marry one eventually and stay married all my life and for that, I suppose, I have Simon to thank."

Here it is:

I’m aware that this was actually based on a true story—or rather, some memoirs—and I mention that because, in my humble opinion, the filmmakers managed to steer clear of that heavy-handed, over-the-top drama that stories like this so easily slide into. 🙂

It was just an okay movie for me, though I guess it makes sense why a sixteen-year-old girl with zero life experience would fall head over heels for a guy like that. She’s totally seduced by the lifestyle—it's her first real taste of the adult world, all those theater trips, fancy dinners, greyhound racing, even getting to fly out to Paris.
All of that can really mess with a young person's head in a positive way, maybe even making them overlook his shady dealings, but honestly, her parents were portrayed so poorly; they seemed so clueless and transparent, actually way more sleazy than David himself.
The whole parent dynamic felt unrealistic too, like there wasn't even a hint of suspicion when this much older man started showing up at their house with all sorts of excuses just to get the girl out of the house.

I watched the film with my girlfriend, and she mentioned she’d be absolutely freaking out if her parents had let her hang out with some guy nearing forty when she was sixteen or seventeen. And she's right—how many parents would actually go along with that?

read this article, which was mentioned above, where the real Jenny explains how everything went down and why... older generations can be so out of touch in our world today, but back then, that kind of upbringing was clearly just the norm. Feminism hadn't really taken hold yet, so there was still that mindset of "if you have a good husband, you don't need a college degree"

I watched a movie today and, honestly, I was pretty disappointed....
The characters just felt flat and undeveloped...
Even the editing and direction had these glaring gaffes—stuff you wouldn't even expect to see in an NBC production
The plot itself is fine, so I'll give them credit for the screenplay...
As for the acting....it was okay, I guess....
But all in all, it’s just a purely mediocre film...nothing special to write home about...
Interestingly, I actually found the beginning a bit weaker than the ending; it's strange how it seems to pick up steam toward the finish line...
I can't help but wish there was a bit more romance, which would have really highlighted how odd and refreshing their relationship feels for this little story....
The pacing and sequence of scenes were solid, though..

Ethan Vaughn22 said:I watched a movie today and, honestly, I was pretty disappointed....
The characters just felt flat and undeveloped...
Even the editing and direction had these glaring gaffes—stuff you wouldn't even expect to see in an NBC production
The plot itself is fine, so I'll give them credit for the screenplay...
As for the acting....it was okay, I guess....
But all in all, it’s just a purely mediocre film...nothing special to write home about...
Interestingly, I actually found the beginning a bit weaker than the ending; it's strange how it seems to pick up steam toward the finish line...
I can't help but wish there was a bit more romance, which would have really highlighted how odd and refreshing their relationship feels for this little story....
The pacing and sequence of scenes were solid, though..

Now, this is what I want to get into. 🍿

I only really caught fail s with that chocolate she brought into her professor's apartment. She definitely didn't have it on her before that.

The internet says that in the scene where he heads over to the apartment, there are all these continuity errors like seeing modern cars on the street and stuff... but I totally missed all of that.

Larry Cruz51 said:I only really caught fail s with that chocolate she brought into her professor's apartment. She definitely didn't have it on her before that.

The internet says that in the scene where he heads over to the apartment, there are all these continuity errors like seeing modern cars on the street and stuff... but I totally missed all of that.

I suppose 🙂

there’s been a movie mistakes website floating around forever, where they point out things like seeing a plane in Gladiator 🙂 ...but I wouldn't exactly categorize that as poor resolution.

bluerider63 said:It was just an okay movie for me, though I guess it makes sense why a sixteen-year-old girl with zero life experience would fall head over heels for a guy like that. She’s totally seduced by the lifestyle—it's her first real taste of the adult world, all those theater trips, fancy dinners, greyhound racing, even getting to fly out to Paris.
All of that can really mess with a young person's head in a positive way, maybe even making them overlook his shady dealings, but honestly, her parents were portrayed so poorly; they seemed so clueless and transparent, actually way more sleazy than David himself.
The whole parent dynamic felt unrealistic too, like there wasn't even a hint of suspicion when this much older man started showing up at their house with all sorts of excuses just to get the girl out of the house.

I watched the film with my girlfriend, and she mentioned she’d be absolutely freaking out if her parents had let her hang out with some guy nearing forty when she was sixteen or seventeen. And she's right—how many parents would actually go along with that?

But the parents are just as impressed by the spectacle. They’re small-minded people who have never even ventured beyond their own neighborhood, so when this ultra-chic guy shows up talking about concerts, art galleries, Oxford, and Paris, and tells them how brilliant their daughter is, they eat it right up.