Movie's ratings

    1878 8122

    2

    " Innocence of the Young."
    Country
    Spoken Language
    Runtime 1 hr 40 min
    Budget $7 500 000
    Premiere: World $26 096 852 October 8, 2009
    USA $12 574 914
    Other countries $13 521 938
    Box Office – Budget $18 596 852
    Premiere: USA $12 574 914 September 2009
    theaters 763
    rollout 449 days
    Digital: World March 16, 2010
    Parental Advisory
    • Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

      few

    • Profanity

      few

    • Sex & Nudity

      few

    Production Companies
    Also Known As

    Description

    A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.

    Сast and Crew

    An Education: The Book Behind the Film

    About the Book

    An Education is a memoir written by Lynn Barber. The book provides a candid and insightful look into her life, focusing on her teenage years and the experiences that shaped her into the person she became. It delves into themes of love, education, and personal growth, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of adolescence and the journey to self-discovery.

    About the Author

    Lynn Barber is a renowned British journalist known for her sharp wit and incisive writing. Her career spans several decades, during which she has contributed to various prestigious publications. Her memoir, An Education, is a reflection of her early life experiences and provides a foundation for understanding her later work as a journalist.

    Book to Film Adaptation

    The film adaptation of An Education stays true to the essence of Lynn Barber's memoir, capturing the spirit and tone of her teenage experiences. While certain elements are dramatized for cinematic effect, the core narrative remains faithful to the book. The screenplay, written by Nick Hornby, effectively translates the memoir's themes and character dynamics to the screen, ensuring that the film resonates with both readers of the book and new audiences.

    The Real Story Behind "An Education"

    Background

    The film "An Education" is based on the memoir of Lynn Barber, a British journalist. Her memoir provides a detailed account of her teenage years in the early 1960s and her relationship with an older man, which significantly impacted her life and education.

    The Real Story

    Lynn Barber grew up in a middle-class family in Twickenham, London. At the age of 16, she met Simon, a man in his 30s, who introduced her to a world of sophistication and culture that was far removed from her suburban upbringing. Simon charmed her parents and took her to concerts, art galleries, and even Paris, broadening her horizons and offering her a glimpse into a more glamorous life.

    However, the relationship was not as idyllic as it seemed. Simon was involved in various dubious activities, and his true nature and intentions were eventually revealed, leading to a painful but valuable lesson for Lynn. This experience taught her about the complexities of adult relationships and the importance of education and self-reliance.

    Film vs. Reality

    The film adaptation, written by Nick Hornby and directed by Lone Scherfig, stays relatively true to the events described in Barber's memoir. It captures the essence of her coming-of-age story, highlighting the allure and dangers of her relationship with Simon, as well as the societal expectations of women during that era.

    While some details and characters were fictionalized for dramatic effect, the core narrative remains faithful to Barber's experiences. The film effectively portrays the tension between the excitement of new experiences and the eventual realization of the importance of personal growth and education.

    Conclusion

    "An Education" offers a compelling look at a pivotal moment in Lynn Barber's life, providing insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by young women in the 1960s. The film's adherence to the real story allows it to serve as both an engaging drama and a reflection on the value of learning from one's experiences.

    Production

    Nick Hornby created the screenplay based on an autobiographical essay by the British journalist Lynn Barber about her schoolgirl affair with conman Simon Prewalski, referred to by her as Simon Goldman, which was published in the literary magazine Granta (82: Life's Like That, Summer 2003). Hornby was the boyfriend of Amanda Posey, the film's producer, whom he later married.

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    Lone Scherfig — Best movies and TV Shows

    Critique: 31

    94%
    29 2
    Austin Chronicle November 13, 2009

    Everything about Scherfig’s coming-of-age story about a girl in the London suburb of Twickenham in 1961 is spot-on.

    New Yorker October 12, 2009

    I have a feeling that Sarsgaard could have stretched the role a lot further if the script had allowed him to, but, still, what he does is surp...

    AV Club October 8, 2009

    An Education shares with Hornby’s best work trenchant insight into the way smart, hyper-verbal young people let the music, films, books, and...

    Slant Magazine October 6, 2009

    The emotional maturity of a sheltered teen in post-war austerity Britain is thoroughly tested in An Education.

    Slate October 8, 2009

    As with first love, so with the movies: The right girl makes it all worthwhile.

    thisislondon.co.uk October 30, 2009

    The skill of it is in allowing you to see not only how a girl’s sense of herself might be hanging in the balance, but to feel how the va...

    Independent October 30, 2009

    Nick Hornby’s screenplay lays out the progress of their relationship, up to the point where David proposes marriage, with great economy and wit.

    News of the World October 30, 2009

    Destined to be remembered as "the first film you saw Carey Mulligan in". Cos she’s ruddy wonderful. And delivers one of those rare performanc...

    The Age (Australia) October 22, 2009

    A nostalgic, rather equivocal study of the mid-20th-century British sea change in attitudes to sex, class and culture.

    ReelViews October 21, 2009

    One of 2009's finest motion pictures – an open and honest look at sexual politics and a woman’s place in the world during the early...

    SFGATE October 16, 2009

    Hornby’s humane and humorous screenplay is true to the film’s title: In short order, young Jenny finds out important truths about ident...

    Los Angeles Times October 8, 2009

    Invariably funny and inexpressibly moving.

    The Atlantic January 17, 2018

    This is a lovely, delicious film with fine acting and a unique plot.

    (All (Parentheses)) October 7, 2009

    Lone Scherfig directs it all as if it were a breezy lark, so a third-act tonal shift makes for an incongruous, excessively moralistic fit...

    CinemaBlend October 8, 2009

    An Education is the rare period piece that has a real heart beating underneath it.

    DVDTalk.com May 25, 2012

    'An Education' is an knowing, affectionate portrait of a man who was surely the best and worst thing that ever happened to a girl who probably...

    Toronto Star October 23, 2009

    The point here is not to judge past missteps by modern standards, but rather to point out how easy it is to allow dreams to overtake reality.

    Chicago Reader October 8, 2009

    As a dual portrait of low-level criminality and lower-middle-class insecurity, it’s unique and indelible.

    Boston.com October 15, 2009

    A star may or may not be born in An Education, but an actress most surely is.

    Lone Scherfig’s direction is glum. We’re so clued in to what’s really going on that we never share Jenny’s authentic excite...

    USA Today October 9, 2009

    Through stellar performances, clever writing and exquisite cinematography, the story is fresh and thoroughly captivating.

    MSNBC October 7, 2009

    Even if the story gets derailed, the early part of the ride is such fun that you’ll want to take the journey.

    This is a wonderful, life-affirming picture that deserves all the prizes it will undoubtedly win. I can’t call it the best British film...

    Guardian October 30, 2009

    A sad, painful comedy, and the lovely performance from Mulligan makes it a very enjoyable film.

    New York Daily News October 9, 2009

    Watch Mulligan’s face as she goes from weary to awakened, and see it all come together.

    New York Post October 9, 2009

    Despite the lingering aroma of Victorian rot shrouding 1961, An Education is excitingly young.

    RogerEbert.com October 22, 2009

    [Mulligan] makes the role luminous when it could have been sad or awkward. She has such lightness and grace, you’re pretty sure this is the b...

    old.bfi.org.uk July 6, 2018

    One of the chief pleasures of Lone Scherfig’s crisply confident and charmingly comic coming-of-age drama is in seeing a teenage girl kick aga...

    Daily Telegraph October 30, 2009

    A delightful, resonant film, a great advertisement for Scherfig’s self-effacing, but socially probing, directorial style, and a beguilin...

    Arizona Republic November 5, 2009

    An Education is just what the title promises, and a delight, as well.

    Financial Times October 30, 2009

    Mulligan has a sit-up-and-watch talent.

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    Quotes

    You can do anything you want, you know that?

    Action is character.

    I feel old, but not very wise.

    Studying is hard and boring. Teaching is hard and boring.

    It’s not enough to educate us anymore, Miss Walters. You’ve got to tell us why you’re doing it.

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    Watched

    Education of Sentiments" is a simple, no frills, but nevertheless a very good film. Self-sufficient and complete, beautiful in its own way, worthy of a one-time viewing, a good drama. I recommend it to connoisseurs of the genre. All the best and enjoy watching!

    Translated to English

    Watched

    It doesn’t take the stars from the sky, and the plot is quite predictable, but Carrey charms, and this leaves a very positive impression.

    Translated to English