Charming 'An Education' let down by story

Director: Lone Scherfig

Cast: Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Peter Sarsgaard

A charming film based on the bio by English journalist Lynn Barber, a richly observed coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s.

Mulligan provides a wonderful central performance as 16-year-old Jenny, a young lady going places – to Oxford and a glittering musical career – who is one day given a lift by smooth and dubious playboy David (Sarsgaard) who opens up a seedy, ‘sophisticated’ world for his much-younger conquest.

The times have been recaptured to perfection and, ultimately, the only fault lies in the ordinariness of the story … young, impressionable girl in the clutches of a questionable older man.

Star Rating: 4/5