An Education
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: October 9, 2009
7.8
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 242 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
200
Mixed:
30
Negative:
12
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
5
GrafZFeb 8, 2010
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.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
6
hollowayFeb 9, 2011
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 toThe 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
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
All this user's reviews
6
AndyG.Jan 13, 2010
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 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
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
LindaLFeb 7, 2010
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.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
SBMay 16, 2010
An average feel-good film you'll soon forget.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
DarleenONov 16, 2009
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.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
JamieSNov 22, 2009
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 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 … Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
JeffSNov 3, 2009
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.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
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