Playlist: An Education

All the buzz around this was about Carey Mulligan's breakout performance and it was certainly justified. The story is about the awakening of an English school girl in 1961 (sounds a little Rochelle, Rochelle, doesn't it?). Nothing innovative here, but good movies don't always have to be. They just have to be, well, good. Surprisingly, that is far easier said than done. It helps to have a great cast, of course. And, looky here, this one does--Peter Sarsgaard, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, and a very funny Alfred Molina. But this is Mulligan's film and she is as charming and captivating as advertised and makes you want to see everything she has ever done.

The other drawing card for me was that the screenplay was written by one of my favorite authors, Nick Hornby. In case you skipped that first paragraph (and I understand, what with how you're so busy these days), I really enjoyed this film and the writing was a major factor. Mulligan, especially, brought his dialogue to life and I'd love to see the two get to work together again.