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An Education

An Education

An education isn't always by the book.

2009100 minPG-13Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Director
Lone Scherfig
Starring
Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike

Despite her sheltered upbringing, Jenny is a teen with a bright future; she's smart, pretty, and has aspirations of attending Oxford University. When David, a charming but much older suitor, motors into her life in a shiny automobile, Jenny gets a taste of adult life that she won't soon forget.

Where to watch

Where can I watch An Education?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists An Education streaming on Sony Pictures Core via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about An Education?

An Education earns 8 badges, led by Top 10% in Drama and Awards magnet.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is An Education worth watching?

An Education's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all films, from 236K ratings across 6 sources. 78% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of films

91st percentile among Drama88th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)87th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

73 /100

87th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2000s

Critics 85 · Audience 72

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.3 — people broadly agree on this one.

78% liked it

88th percentile of all films

90th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2000s
78% rated it 7–1022% rated it 1–6

Critics 94% · Audience 80%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 28 wins / 67 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Motion Picture of the Year
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

96th percentile

235K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 41% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$7.5M
Opening weekend$159K
Domestic gross$13M
Worldwide gross$26M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A coming-of-age drama about a bright schoolgirl seduced by an older man, anchored by strong acting and 1960s period flavor.

Fans praised

  • breakout performance by Carey Mulligan, a radiant newcomer
  • smart, witty screenplay by Nick Hornby with natural dialogue
  • evocative period detail and 1960s atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • implausible character behavior, especially the father's gullibility
  • formulaic plot with a contrived, moralizing ending
  • script glosses over the creepiness of the central relationship

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Mulligan's star-making turn praised across camps; Sarsgaard and Molina also noted

Atmosphere80

evocative early-60s London with jazz clubs and period detail

DialogueDivisive72

Hornby's script praised for wit and naturalism

Emotional impactDivisive65

touching for fans; detractors found it unearned

CharactersDivisive55

Jenny's father and supporting roles seen as caricatures by detractors

Plot and storyDivisive50

predictable trajectory but based on a true story

EndingDivisive40

miraculous tidy resolution seen as moralizing and cheap by many

Originality35

familiar coming-of-age and May-December romance formula

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is An Education like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticTenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its protagonist's journey with genuine affection and gentle gravity, never mocking her naivety.
The rideThe film glides from the heady thrill of Jenny's romance to the anxious undercurrent of its consequences, peaking in weight during the middle act.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Jenny's meeting David through the deception to her recovery.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a wistful sense of a lost innocence regained through hard-won maturity, but with an underlying optimism about Jenny's reclaimed future.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeJenny's seduction by an older con man leads to a crisis that forces her to reclaim her own path to education and adulthood.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film tracks Jenny's transition from precocious schoolgirl to disillusioned young woman, charting how romance and intellectual ambition collide.
StanceThe film interrogates the romantic fantasy of escape and the price of growing up too fast, refusing a simple moral verdict.

The world

Mid 20th centurySuburbanUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalJazzSupportive music · original score · Paul Englishby
SettingSuburban London in the early 1960s, with excursions into the city's cultured glamour.
MusicThe score evokes the 1960s setting with elegant classical and jazz textures, underscoring Jenny's romantic aspirations.

Content guide

Is An Education okay for kids?

PG-13

An Education is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexual content, and for smoking” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (7/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at mild (24/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at mild (19/100). Overall it is heavier than 12% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Denmark11 år
  • FinlandK-12
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Norway6
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 13% of all filmsHeavier than 12% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 6%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 10%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 86%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 18%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 86% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does An Education have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in An Education?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Carey Mulligan won the BAFTA for this film.

Carey Mulligan
as Jenny
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best Leading ActressTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Peter Sarsgaard
as David
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dominic Cooper
as Danny
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
newcomer then · star now
Rosamund Pike
as Helen
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Olivia Williams
as Miss Stubbs
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Alfred Molina
as Jack
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting Actor
Cara Seymour
as Marjorie
Sally Hawkins
as Sarah
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Emma Thompson
as Headmistress
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
James Norton
as Student
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
newcomer then · star now

Crew

More like this

What are movies like An Education?

Movies like An Education include Call Me by Your Name (2017), Their Finest (2016) and The Man in the Moon (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Lone Scherfig, and several are coming-of-age stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its feel: tender. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with An Education?

888 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: con artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.