What I Think About Movies I've Seen

Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is a sixteen year-old girl growing up in 1960s London. She goes to a private girls' school where she excels at nearly everything and is being pushed by her father (Alfred Molina). One rainy day after cello practice, a stranger (who we soon learn is David, played by Peter Sarsgaard) offers her a ride home. He's quite a bit older than she is (perhaps twice her age), and yet he's a very smooth talker and they hit it off and quickly form a relationship. David is quite well-off (although we soon learn that the way he makes is money isn't always honorable) and is able to give her things that she's always dreamed of, including outings to see a concert by professional musicians and a trip to Paris. As their relationship progresses, David encourages Jenny to take the life that she wants (and he can give her) rather than the life she's being pushed toward by her parents and teachers.

I found this to be a much more lighthearted and enjoyable movie than I had expected from the trailer, and I was sucked into it right from the beginning. However, the movie is not without some significant flaws. I'm sure that I'm not the only one to find the age difference creepy, and I was disappointed to see that it wasn't addressed in any significant way but rather seemed to be overlooked by everyone. I was also disappointed by the abrupt ending and the very sudden mood swing with no real explanation. The movie is apparently based on the real-life experiences of Lynn Barber, so I'm willing to accept the premise and many of the events portrayed in the movie, but I think that I would have enjoyed it more had her father been less gullible and the ending more fleshed out.