Carey Mulligan plays a precocious teenager named Jenny growing up in middle-class England during the 1960s. She enters a relationship with an older man (Peter Sarsgaard) and before the movie ends, Jenny has undergone more of an education than she bargained for. Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay based on an autobiographical article published in GRANTA by British journalist Lynn Barber. I was fascinated by Carey Mulligan’s performance that goes from school girl to anguished woman in 100 minutes. GRADE: B+
I really liked this movie a lot. The male predator is always a winning setup for me.
Yes, Peter Sarsgaard as David is an engaging predator, Patti.
Hm. Seems to me she’s less anguished than self-assured by the end.
Perhaps you’re right, Todd. Jenny learns about Life the hard way. Fortunately, she had an ally that assisted her in getting into College.
I liked the movie (especially Mulligan) a lot, so bought the book Barber turned the article into (same title) a while later. Interestingly enough, the book is very different. First, the movie just covers one long chapter in her life, and is not nearly as compelling as the film. (The movie makers “juiced up” the story, as she says in her introduction.)
Much more interesting to me were her chapters about working for Bob Guccione and Kathy Keeton (liked him, scared of her) and (WARNING) the death of her husband (END WARNING).
I may have to track down the Barber book, Jeff. I thought Nick Hornby’s script captured the time and the place.