--- title: "An Education: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/an-education/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/an-education" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # An Education (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 10 reviews: 9 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to An Education, with praise centred on Carey Mulligan’s performance as a schoolgirl impatient for adult life. The reviews repeatedly single out her wit, vulnerability and restraint, alongside a supporting cast that gives the comedy its human detail. Lone Scherfig’s direction is widely admired for its light touch and attention to class and generational tensions. For many critics, the humour makes the painful material more affecting without brushing it aside. Reservations centre on the screenplay, though their severity varies considerably. Time Out finds that the adaptation softens the memoir’s sharper edges, while Empire enjoys the charm but considers the film slight. Paste offers a stronger dissent, arguing that predictable plotting and flattened characters undermine the lead performances. Den of Geek, by contrast, finds subversive depth beneath the cheerful surface: the main disagreement is over how far the film challenges its familiar coming-of-age framework. ## Sight and Sound — Kate Stables Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2009. Praises the film's crisp direction by Lone Scherfig and its focus on a teenage girl's hunger for adult life and experiences beyond peer approval or romance. Highlights the nuanced handling of class, sexual politics and the central performance by Carey Mulligan. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/5161) ## Slant Magazine — Ryan Stewart Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2009. Mulligan gives an understated, beautiful performance as the precocious teen; the film succeeds on its emotional terms despite some conventional plotting, highlighting the heroine's disillusionment with sophisticated but flawed adults. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/an-education/) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 30 September 2009. Calls it an accessible comedy romance that captures suburban life and generational shifts through strong performances, especially by Mulligan and the supporting cast. Notes that the script softens some edgier elements of the source memoir. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/an-education) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 January 2009. Festival review. Highlights the lively period drama's strong cast and newcomer Mulligan's memorable performance as a girl drawn to a con-man's glamorous lifestyle over academic ambitions. Notes the film's old-fashioned tale of temptation and its potential for art-house success. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/features/an-education/4042689.article) ## Empire — Dan Jolin 1 October 2009. The critic finds the film decent but unremarkable overall, praising its easy charm and satisfying story while noting it feels somewhat slight. They single out Carey Mulligan's central performance as the standout element that elevates the picture. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/education-review/) ## Evening Standard 10 April 2012. The critic praises the film as a lovely, sensitive depiction of early 1960s Britain and a young woman's coming of age, highlighting its measured charm and the way it captures the era's values. They single out the strong performances, especially Carey Mulligan's, and the precise direction. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/sex-and-the-sixties-in-an-education-7417283.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan 20 January 2009. Festival review. The film shows an unerring instinct for human nature and its foibles, presenting nuanced pleasures in the story of a schoolgirl's relationship with an older man. It praises the keenly observed direction and the lead performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jan-20-et-sherfig20-story.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 29 October 2009. The film is a sad, painful comedy that is extremely funny despite its subject matter. Peter Bradshaw singles out Carey Mulligan's wonderful performance as the vulnerable schoolgirl for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/29/an-education-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter 21 January 2009. Festival review. Mulligan delivers a star-making performance as the schoolgirl swept up by an older man; the film is a smart, moving coming-of-age story with a fine cast and strong script. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/education-film-review-92781/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott 9 October 2009. The film is a sprightly and slippery adaptation of Lynn Barber's memoir that balances comic tone with the story of a young woman's seduction by an older man. It singles out Carey Mulligan's preternatural wit and the delicate handling of the predatory elements. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/movies/09education.html) ## The Times — Toby Young 30 October 2009. An Education is a wonderful, life-affirming picture that restores faith in cinema and deserves all the prizes it will win. Toby Young highlights the strong central performance from Carey Mulligan and the film's blend of comedy and humanity. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/an-education-kj8f8xtfzpt) ## Den of Geek — Michael Leader Rating 5/5. 21 March 2010. The critic describes the film as sweet, engrossing, and subversive, highlighting its focus on the protagonist's perspective and the theme of education versus life experience. Praises the depth beneath its perky surface and the subjective viewing experience. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/an-education-dvd-review/) ## Collider — Steven Weintraub Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2009. Festival review. The critic raves that the film is pitch-perfect and entertaining from start to finish, calling it a standout coming-of-age story. They single out Carey Mulligan's outstanding performance as Jenny for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/an-education-sundance-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 11 February 2009. Festival review. The material is spectacularly well handled with Hornby's script mixing comedy and emotional weight and Scherfig directing with a light touch. Mulligan gives a terrific performance and Sarsgaard strikes a careful balance in his role, though some subsidiary characters feel flat. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/an-education-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Playlist — Oliver Lyttelton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 October 2009. Festival review. It is a stylish, moving and deeply pleasurable coming-of-age film that matches high expectations, with an impeccably good lead performance from Mulligan and strong direction from Scherfig. The script lets characters speak for themselves in an oppressive 1960s setting. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/lff-09-education-and-bluebeard-20091026/) ## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 October 2009. The review commends Carey Mulligan's stunning debut as the precocious Jenny and Lone Scherfig's gentle handling of complex dynamics in the story of a teenage girl's awakening. It notes the film's witty portrayal and memorable study of its lead character beyond stereotypes. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a183305/an-education/) ## Paste — Robert Davis Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2009. The critic finds the film undermined by its screenplay, which telegraphs plot points and flattens characters instead of trusting its strong cast. They praise the lead performances by Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard but fault the conventional story and tidy resolution. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/alfred-molina/an-education) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Rating 3. 20 October 2009. Festival review. The film is a surprise hit and possibly the best British film of the year thanks to strong performances, especially Carey Mulligan's, and Nick Hornby's outstanding script. Scherfig's direction creates a flawless world and elicits powerful work from the cast. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/bfi-lff-review-an-education/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/an-education.md