THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

An Education, based on Lynn Barber's memoir, is one of those tried-and-true coming-of-age stories ( this one set in suburban London in 1961 ) in which a young lady is swept up by a Prince Charming who turns who to be, in the words of Sondheim, "charming but not sincere." The movie is enlivened by the performance of newcomer Carey Mulligan in the leading role of Jenny, whose heart is captured and then recklessly broken by Peter Sarsgaard, who plays her sophisticated lover, David. There are several great supporting turns by Alfred Molina as Jenny's difficult father; Emma Thompson as a no-nonsense school headmistress; and heartthrob Dominic Cooper as David's wastrel best friend.

Jenny's father, a mini-tyrant, has drummed into her head that education is all but, though she's an excellent student, she dreams of the café society life. After a chance meeting with David, who instantly charms her, the 16-year-old Jenny lies on her bed listening to the records of French chanteuse Juliette Grecco until Dad pounds on the wall, shouting, "No French singing!" Jenny doesn't know it ( though we do ) but she's about to exchange one oppressor for that of another kind—father for a lover. Her dreams of living in Paris while listening to Jacques Brel and smoking Gauloise cigarettes and escaping her humdrum life are about to come partially true.

David—with his fancy car, tailored suits and exquisite manners—quickly charms her parents, and they agree to let young Jenny date him. He introduces her to his best friend, Danny ( Cooper ) , and Danny's girlfriend, a gorgeous blonde; he then takes Jenny to a posh supper club, where they dance to "I'm Comin' Home, Baby" by Mel Torme ( one of the coolest songs ever ) . Jenny is swept away—dazzled by the realization that this world she's longed for is a matter of a point of view and a quick car ride away. But, naturally, heartbreak lies ahead.

There's more than a hint of Jane Eyre, Rebecca and even bits of The Ghost & Mrs. Muir in the story of the sophisticated aesthete dazzling the eager student of life longing for the unconventional, the risky and the fun. But though director Lone Scherfig gets great performances from her cast, the story—so compelling as it gets going—just sort of fritters away as it plays out. Also, Sarsgaard isn't quite the irresistible hottie that Cooper is ( and the tantalizing prospect of an illicit romance within the illicit romance is kept at arm's length, too ) . As this winning story faded off into a haze of emotional ennui—just as those Juliette Greco records do—I thought, as I always do when I see a movie like An Education, about how much I want the gay movie doppelganger of this story. It's certainly a scenario very, very familiar to Our People.

Film notes:

—The 26th annual Chicago Children's International Film Festival kicks off Thursday, Oct. 22, with a gala opening night event hosted by Australian actor Luke Arnold, star of Broken Hill. The fest will have a host of activities and treats for the kids, along with a lineup of short films. The opening night festivities will be held at Thorne Auditorium, 375 E. Chicago, and will kick off at 6 p.m. ( Broken Hill will also be screened on Oct. 28 at the Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, 2600 N. Western at 10:15 a.m. ) The fest continues through Nov. 1, showcasing over 260 films from 40 different countries.

A Shine of Rainbows starring Aidan Quinn and Connie Nielson, a charming yet sobering story about an orphaned boy with crippling shyness who comes to live with his new parents on the Irish coast—a kindly mother and difficult, disapproving father—is just one of the quality entries the fest will feature. A ghost story for kids, From Time to Time starring Maggie Smith and Alex Etel and the latest Wallace & Gromit adventure, A Matter of Loaf and Death! also promise to be festival highlights. The festival will utilize seven different screening locations. Complete schedule, ticket and screening information at www.cicf.org

—Valentino: The Last Emperor, out director Matt Tyrnauer's award-winning portrait of the legendary clothing designer and his life/business partner Giancarlo Giammetti ,returns by popular demand to the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, Oct. 22. See www.siskelfilmcenter.org .

—For anime fans, the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport, is hosting a one-week run ( Oct. 23-29 ) of Evangelion 1.0: You Are ( Not ) Alone, the first of four theatrical sequels to the popular mid-'90s Japanese television show Evangelion. See www.musicboxtheatre.com .

Check out my archived reviews at www.windycitytimes.com or www.knightatthemovies.com . Readers can leave feedback at the latter Web site.