The film has been described as a "coming of age tale" and it is just that. taking place in 1961, Jenny Mellow attend private school where she excels as a student and a musician. Her ultimate goal, and that of her parents, is to graduate and attend Oxford. Due to this, she spends almost all of her time studying and playing in the band. One day, on her way home from band practice, an older man named David overs her a ride home. Though she is hesitant at first, she finally accepts and the two instantly have a connection that is fostered throughout the rest of the movie. Jenny is terrified that her parents will not approve of their relationship, but to her great surprise they are ecstatic (though completely naive). Slowly, Jenny realizes that David is nothing like what he seems and his true self is far more devious than she could have ever expected. However, she is so enchanted by him that she is willing to throw away everything that she worked for in order to be with him. That is, until she discovers the complete truth about David and must decide to either follow her heart or her better judgment.
Overall, the movie is predictable. There is nothing new that hasn't already been done in previous films such as Lolita (though Lolita is far better!) or American Beauty in which an older man seduces a younger woman. Consequently, the young girl discovers the truth about the man who sexually awakens her and the resulting drama threatens the happiness of both parties involved. Thus, this story is not new or is its production anything different from its predecessors. With a screenplay written by Nick Hornby, I expected a bit more from the writing but was disappointed. Overall, it's worth a viewing because it is a good film but do not expect much from it. If you want depth and complexity, pop your old VHS of Lolita or your beaten up DVD of American Beauty into the player and enjoy one of the classics!
-DLP
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