An Education

An Education, originally uploaded by AsceticMonk.

I saw this film last week and it provides an insightful look into the life of England in 1961. Jenny is working towards her A levels at school. She is sixteen, beautiful and highly intelligent. Her parents have lofty expectations for her, including being offered a place to study at Oxford University. She studies hard, learns the cello and plays in a youth orchestra - all because they will lead "somewhere", not because in and of themselves they are worthwhile activities. However she is bored. All this changes when a chance encounter introduces her to David - an older man who is handsome and very wealthy.

She falls in love and is prepared to abandon "an education" for love and the wild life that includes parties, visits to Paris, sex, lying and deceit but she enjoys it - she is having fun and that she is alive.

Then something happens, which in and of itself is "an education" and Jenny learns about life the hard way.

The film raises a number of questions. One of them includes the pushiness of parents who singlemindedly push their children towards something. One of the more moving moments in the film is when Jenny's father apologises to her and explains that he has been driven by fear and he doesn't want his daughter to be afraid - of what is not clear, but I wonder if it is success, wealth, status and being accepted. Jenny's parents are forced to think about what they really want for their daughter.

The english are so good at indirect communication that is understated and round about. This film is filled with such conversations. I loved it!

There are some delightful moments. Jenny is learning latin, which she loathes and is not particularly good at. One of her new friends, who is a little "dippy" says "in 50 years no one will be speaking latin, not even the latin people". I found this particularly amusing as Keith has been teaching himself latin for the last ten years. I don't know anyone else who takes palm cards to the gym to memorise latin words and phrases.

This is a wonderful movie - enjoyable and thought provoking.