I mentioned seeing this in the "last movie I saw" thread, but believe the film deserves its own discussion. My initial impression was that it was a good, but not great, movie, although I noted it was the kind of movie that made one think. So yesterday during our long bike ride, Mrs. PAC and I talked about the previous night’s cinema experience and in the course of our conversation, I came around to the idea that the movie was very good, perhaps even great, as Green Lantern observed in his brief comments in the other thread. I’ll throw out a few reasons why, but I don’t want to put them in a spoiler box, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, read no more, or don’t blame me if I spoil the experience for you. But if you like good screenplays and excellent acting, do go see it.
I was bothered through much of the movie by the creepiness factor—a charming guy in his 30s (David) going after 16 year-old Jenny. I was also bothered by how easily her parents were persuaded to let her go out with the guy, so smitten were they by the guy’s apparent connections, suaveness and money. Meanwhile, the girl’s schoolmaster and favorite teacher seem to be portrayed as buzzkills for all the worldly pleasures that are enticing Jenny. But gradually we see the emptiness of David’s promises and life. After he and Jenny have sex, she seems vaguely surprised and disappointed, noting something like, "All that poetry and all those songs about something that lasts no time at all." She is sadder but wiser for the experience, and the creepiness is shown to have had a purpose.
The parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour, both really good) demonstrated what happens when even loving, caring parents, get diverted from their parental responsibilities by the seduction of fame, wealth or connections, or simply weakness in not standing up to the demands of a child.
I suspect many will find the end of the movie a bit too neat or slick, but I liked the resolution. I tend to be a bit shallow in my analysis, but I enjoyed thinking about the film in religious terms. David is clearly a Satanic figure (charming, handsome, glib, telling lies but with enough truth to establish credibility, and offering worldly things that are often very good, even great), showing Jenny that she can have anything in the world for money. The school’s headmistress represents justice, telling Jenny she’s free to partake of David’s forbidden fruit, but if she does, she’ll be cast out of school and she can kiss the next life (Oxford) goodbye. When Jenny realizes the error of her ways, she goes back to the headmistress, seeking forgiveness and readmission, but the headmistress sticks the rules—she’s very just, but not merciful. Jenny then goes to her favorite teacher (Miss Stubbs, played by an excellent Olivia Williams) who clearly felt a great deal of love for Jenny and who was heartbroken when Jenny ran off with David (Miss Stubbs had previously rejected Jenny’s gift of Chanel perfume from Paris, an interesting exchange worthy of some discussion as well). Anyway, after Jenny has been rejected by the headmistress, and visits Miss Stubbs, after a brief discussion, Miss Stubbs asks, “So why are you here.” Jenny responds with something like, “I need your help.” Miss Stubbs is obviously very moved by this admission, and says, “Oh, I’m so glad you said that.” It's a Christ-like response to a sinner who reaches out for help from above. We don’t know what Miss Stubbs does to help Jenny (Plead her case for readmission? Tutoring? Writing the world’s best letter of recommendation for Oxford?), but it doesn’t matter, Miss Stubbs’ intercession was apparently enough.
I had a bunch of other, similarlly half-baked, thoughts, but the fact that I had the thoughts made the experience very worthwhile. I like Avatar all right, but thought very little about it after leaving the theater, and I have little interest in seeing it again. I’ll watch An Education again, and think about it some more. I give it an A.
I was bothered through much of the movie by the creepiness factor—a charming guy in his 30s (David) going after 16 year-old Jenny. I was also bothered by how easily her parents were persuaded to let her go out with the guy, so smitten were they by the guy’s apparent connections, suaveness and money. Meanwhile, the girl’s schoolmaster and favorite teacher seem to be portrayed as buzzkills for all the worldly pleasures that are enticing Jenny. But gradually we see the emptiness of David’s promises and life. After he and Jenny have sex, she seems vaguely surprised and disappointed, noting something like, "All that poetry and all those songs about something that lasts no time at all." She is sadder but wiser for the experience, and the creepiness is shown to have had a purpose.
The parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour, both really good) demonstrated what happens when even loving, caring parents, get diverted from their parental responsibilities by the seduction of fame, wealth or connections, or simply weakness in not standing up to the demands of a child.
I suspect many will find the end of the movie a bit too neat or slick, but I liked the resolution. I tend to be a bit shallow in my analysis, but I enjoyed thinking about the film in religious terms. David is clearly a Satanic figure (charming, handsome, glib, telling lies but with enough truth to establish credibility, and offering worldly things that are often very good, even great), showing Jenny that she can have anything in the world for money. The school’s headmistress represents justice, telling Jenny she’s free to partake of David’s forbidden fruit, but if she does, she’ll be cast out of school and she can kiss the next life (Oxford) goodbye. When Jenny realizes the error of her ways, she goes back to the headmistress, seeking forgiveness and readmission, but the headmistress sticks the rules—she’s very just, but not merciful. Jenny then goes to her favorite teacher (Miss Stubbs, played by an excellent Olivia Williams) who clearly felt a great deal of love for Jenny and who was heartbroken when Jenny ran off with David (Miss Stubbs had previously rejected Jenny’s gift of Chanel perfume from Paris, an interesting exchange worthy of some discussion as well). Anyway, after Jenny has been rejected by the headmistress, and visits Miss Stubbs, after a brief discussion, Miss Stubbs asks, “So why are you here.” Jenny responds with something like, “I need your help.” Miss Stubbs is obviously very moved by this admission, and says, “Oh, I’m so glad you said that.” It's a Christ-like response to a sinner who reaches out for help from above. We don’t know what Miss Stubbs does to help Jenny (Plead her case for readmission? Tutoring? Writing the world’s best letter of recommendation for Oxford?), but it doesn’t matter, Miss Stubbs’ intercession was apparently enough.
I had a bunch of other, similarlly half-baked, thoughts, but the fact that I had the thoughts made the experience very worthwhile. I like Avatar all right, but thought very little about it after leaving the theater, and I have little interest in seeing it again. I’ll watch An Education again, and think about it some more. I give it an A.
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