Enroll in "An Education" for Fall Term

Sony Pictures Classics has released its elegant one-sheet for Lone Scherfig's "An Education," the Sundance sensation opening in limited release October 13, and the tone it sets couldn't feel more distinguished. The year's likeliest contender for breakthrough actress kudos (and the early favorite for Best Actress proper), Carey Mulligan, plays a prep-school student whose coming-of-age in 1960's London happens quite suddenly upon the arrival of a wealthy playboy (Peter Sarsgaard) twice her age.

"An Education" was received by critics at Sundance with rare and unanimous rapture, announcing the title way back in January as one of 2009's very best while giving the Park City stalwart a much-needed boost of legitimacy after years of commercial influence and lackluster lineups. "There's no movie in this festival that's quite as ravishing, as witty, as well-acted or as satisfying overall as 'An Education'" (Salon's Andrew O'Hehir, simply stated). Karina Longworth (SpoutBlog) went deeper, citing the true achivement of "An Education" are the moments when "it’s capable of recreating the insane fog of love, particularly first love, which always feels like last love." First and foremost, however, "An Education" is "an extremely classy film."

Consider the supporting cast: Emma Thompson and Alfred Molina play Mulligan's parents, Olivia Williams stars as her favorite teacher, Dominic Cooper ("Mamma Mia!," "The History Boys") as the playboy's more cautious best friend, with Sally Hawkins (so perfect in the lead for Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky") and Rosamund Pike (with whom Mulligan played two of the Bennet sisters in Joe Wright's glorious 2005 adaptation of "Pride & Prejudice) rounding out the impressive ensemble. Molina has been tagged by many as a standout (InContention's Kris Tapley among them), as have Thompson and Pike, who plays the playboy's regular girlfriend, so expect Awards Season attention across the board.

The last real heavyweight to emerge from Sundance and ride a wave of support all the way to the Kodak Theater was "Little Miss Sunshine," which premiered in 2006 to Park City audiences and sparked a steady word-of-mouth campaign that predicated big box office ($60 million domestic for distributor Fox Searchlight) and a handful of Oscar nods. This year, with "An Education" joining "Precious" in the top of the class (and "Moon," "In the Loop," "Cold Souls," "The Cove," "The September Issue," "Adam," and "Humpday" also generating heat from Sundance starts), that slump appears to be over.

Even without a stellar ensemble and its sophisticated art-house appeal, "An Education" would likely propel itself on the strength of Mulligan's breakout performance alone. The Hollywood Reporter sang the film's many praises last January, but nothing stood out so much as the young leading lady herself. "Mulligan captures every nuance of the character with an understated charm reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn. Her transformation from an English schoolgirl in a gray uniform to a lovely young and desirable woman is nothing short of miraculous."