DVD REVIEW: AN EDUCATION

Paramount Home Entertainment
Available now on DVD and Blu-ray

The three Oscar nominations for An Education (Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Actress) perhaps came too late for Australian audiences who, judging by box office receipts, stayed away from Lone Scherfig's wonderful coming of age film, An Education.

The DVD release in the wake of that Oscar acknowledgement should encourage more people to seek the film out, if for no other reason than the star making performance by Carey Mulligan.

Mulligan plays Jenny, a 16-year-old girl living in a London yet to find its swing (it's 1961) or be introduced to the Beatles. Like most 16 year olds, Jenny believes she is smarter than the adults in her life, including her parents, played by Cara Seymour and a wonderfully comic Alfred Molina.

Her plans for studying at Oxford are waylaid when she meets the much older David (Peter Sarsgaard), who introduces her to a more exciting life than she could ever have imagined and an education of a different kind.

Penned by author Nick Hornby, from a slim memoir by journalist Lynn Barber, An Education is a gem of a film, filled with wonderful performances by the likes of Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams and Emma Thompson.

But the film belongs to Carey Mulligan who perfectly captures every nuance of Jenny's transition from school girl to woman. Before Sandra Bullock's late entry into last year's Oscars race, the Best Actress category was a two-horse event between Mulligan and Streep (Julie & Julia), and either would have been a more worthy winner.

Just like Streep, I'm sure it's not the last time Mulligan will be up for such honours. I'm a card carrying Carey Mulligan fan; I'd advise you to get on the bandwagon now while there's still room.