An Education, set in 1961 in the burbs an hour from London. A 16 year old attending an exclusive all-girls prep school has her sights set on Oxford, when she meets a thirtysomething, smooth-talking playboy. He thrills her by introducing her to adult society, taking her to the symphony and parties, whisking her off to Paris for the weekend, buying her clothes, Chanel and gifts, and all he wants in exchange is her virginity and ultimately her hand in marriage.
The acting was superb all around, including a surprise cameo by Emma Thompson as the headmistress. Being a period drama set on location and produced in Britain, it portrays a believeble glimpse into society 50 years ago, and how quickly her parents went from sternly insisting she spend her world studying for Oxford, to being thrilled at the idea of a quickie marraige to a suitor 20 years her senior. They even encourage her to drop out, as though she's hit the jackpot and Oxford becomes a mere afterthought.
However, Romeo turns out to not be as advertised, and as the regrets set in, it shows how different things were 50 years ago in terms of what people could easily get away with; the higher level of trust afforded to all people; and how much a person would put up with before widespread divorces became common. Ultimately, "an education" carries a dual meaning as the veil is lifted from her juvenile eyes.
The acting was superb all around, including a surprise cameo by Emma Thompson as the headmistress. Being a period drama set on location and produced in Britain, it portrays a believeble glimpse into society 50 years ago, and how quickly her parents went from sternly insisting she spend her world studying for Oxford, to being thrilled at the idea of a quickie marraige to a suitor 20 years her senior. They even encourage her to drop out, as though she's hit the jackpot and Oxford becomes a mere afterthought.
However, Romeo turns out to not be as advertised, and as the regrets set in, it shows how different things were 50 years ago in terms of what people could easily get away with; the higher level of trust afforded to all people; and how much a person would put up with before widespread divorces became common. Ultimately, "an education" carries a dual meaning as the veil is lifted from her juvenile eyes.
Comment