starring Carey Mulligan, Olivia Williams & Alfred Molina
Lynn Barber’s memoir-like short story first appeared in Granta, where, noticed by Nick Hornby, it was destined for this screen version. An Education is one of those movies that exudes easy charm, taking you to a satisfying climax without feeling the need for detours. Jenny (Mulligan), a very bright girl on the cusp of her 17th birthday, finds herself in a whirlwind romance with the much older David (Peter
Sarsgaard). When things are looking pretty good for Jenny with the dashing David, reality hits her like a ton of bricks. She goes from being a bright eyed school girl and a sophisticated young lady, all the way back to questioning if she really knows who she is at all.
Of Carey Mulligan’s wonderful performance there can be no doubt
The Observer
Featuring an introduction and post-film Q&A with
author Lynn Barber
Lynn was born in 1944, read English at Oxford, started her career on Penthouse magazine then worked on the Sunday Express, the Independent on Sunday, Vanity Fair, the Observer and now the Sunday Times. Her interviews have won five British press awards, and been collected in two books, Mostly Men and Demon Barber. Widowed, she has two grown-up daughters and a grandson, and lives in north London.
I gather it’s quite rare for authors to be happy when their books are filmed, but I am absolutely thrilled by the film of An Education – though I hope audiences will also read my book!
Lynn Barber
Lynn Barber photographed by Pete Millson