The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, November 23, 2009 - 5A Precociously classy Carey Mulligan exudes Oscar-worthy confidence starring in 'An Education' By JENNIFER XU DailyArts Writer The story of "An Education" can easily be traced through Carey Mulli- gan's wardrobe. At the beginning, she plays precocious 16-year-old Jenny, An Educatin waiting on the curb after a school orchestra rehearsal, At the Michigan her schoolgirl's uniform sop- and Showcase ping wet from the rain. An Sony exciting, older man (Peter Sarsgaard, "Garden State") pulls up and offers her a ride, taking her through a whirlwind romance of glamorous concerts, art auctions and dazzling seaside vacations. Off comes the uniform, up goes the hair and on goes the demure yet sexy black shift. She sensually embraces her older lover in a knee-length lilac dress dotted with flowers and bows. They're in Paris; it's the city of love, and they're kind of in love. That night, she swirls around in a floating white chiffon masterpiece with a streak of red across the shoulders. Later that night, once she has laid her soul - and breasts - bare, she has no clothes at all. With her virginity successfully lost, she has become a woman - or so she thinks - donning a dignified brocade sheath stitched with gold piping. Finally, the film reaches its climax. It turns out she's not really a woman; she's a girl. "I feel old, but not very wise," she intonates, her hands folded across her schoolgirl's skirt, once again back to the beginning of the story. It's details like these that make "An Educa- tion" much more than the typical coming-of- age blah. if there's anything brilliant about director Lone Scherfig ("Italian for Begin- ners"), it's that he knows how to contrast visual elements, whether clothes or scenes, cutting decisively between jazzy, electrifying dance sequences or clipped kitchen table conversa- tions. Yet the crown jewel of this film is not its cinematograph', set decoration or even costume design - it's Carey Mulligan herself. Incandescent and effervescent, Mulligan's portrayal and fascinating transformation from innocent ing6nue to wise woman possesses the nuances of an actor twice her age. Ever since the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January, Mulligan's perfor- mance has been on the radar for Oscar love. Yet this isn't a conventional Oscar-baititngrole. Mul- ligan pulls out a subtle, organic performance with little drama. Yet there's a genuineness to the way she speaks and the way she moves - a genuineness that extends past the fourth wall of cinema down into the hearts of audiences. It's a performance you'll be able to feel through all the pores in your body. Forget golden statues; this is a role that will be remembered for years to come - it's that eerily and spookily mesmerizing. Vreviously only known for her role as Kitty Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice," Mulligan takes the audience straight into the film, giv- ing the viewers a chance to experience the world through the rose-tinted lenses of her young character Jenny. In one scene alone, her eyes can tell histories of emotions: ambition, desire, wonder, discomfort, excitement, hesi- tance. In less than two hours she evolves from giggling schoolgirl to woman of the world and then back again, and the transformation never feels forced. Jenny slowly grows more confi- dent, more beautiful, more worldly and even- tually more cynical. It's a remarkably textured performance. Still, "An Education" never falls into the traps of this type of film. Set in the time of England's sexual reawakening, theyoungJennyrepresents the burgeoning of women's liberation and the inception of the British New Wave. The coun- try was growinag up. Even as a youtsg schoolgirl, Jenny is no blushingdaisy. "All that poetry about something that lasts no time at all," she quips about sex. As a girl that exudes sexual self-con- fidence, Jenny makes her relationship with her 40-year-old lover play out less creepily than it would otherwise. She's young, but she's no vic- tim - a refreshing take on a young British girl's supposed "innocence." Although it might seem excessive to solely praise Mulligan's performance in an-otherwise intoxicating film, "An Education" embraces her from the inside out. From the solid supporting roles by seasoned British actors Alfred Molina ('Spider-Man 2"), Dominic Cooper ("The Duch- ess"), Emma Thompson ("Love Actually") and Rosamund Pike ("Pride and Prejudice") to the dizzying cinematography to the exquisite cos- tumes, all peripheral aspects merely act to orna- ment the star of Carey Mulligan. Toward the film's end, Jenny giddily rides a bike while donning a flowered jumper - a sort of intermediate between little girl and young adult. She has bloomed before our eyes. And so has Carey Mulligan. The Dirty Birds clean up nicely By LEAH BURGIN The album's bookends are particu- Daily Arts Writer larly strong, gratifying listeners' expectations to be engaged from How the Cause Became the beginning to end. The orchestra Cure mean- tions and lyrics on album opener ders between "What I Realized" and closer "The toe-tapping, Problem" are some of the most high-energy powerful on the entire album. tunes and TheDity Both tracks are among the most melodic, croon- Birds upbeat numbers. They're unifiers, ing orchestral How the weighing down the other tracks numbers. The and keeping them from rambling album ebbs and Cause Became away. Furthermore, both songs flows beneath the Cure reach the middle ground of the the versatile Self-released album's generic jungle - there is vocal umbrella not one predominant genre bias in of Jared Saltiel, eithertrack - allwingthese book- vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist ends to concisely summarize the for The Dirty Birds. album's unique collage of styles. This debut album for The Dirty The fact that The Dirty Birds chose Birds was partly recorded at Big to place these songs at the begin- Sky Recordings right here in the ning and at the end further reveals band's home base, Ann Arbor. a great musical sensibility. But however strictly midwestern It is equally impressive when an The Dirty Birds' beginnings may album's cover art perfectly match- be, their music molds together all es its tone. How the Cause Became sorts of genres - including jazz, the Cure's cover impeccably suits pop, folk and rock - into a won- the almost melancholy and subtle derfully rich sound, deeply layered nature of the album's contents. but simultaneously subtle. The muted, water-colored hues The instrumentals for "Katrina" and "Saudade" show- case the band's incredible musical sensibility. Intricate and delicate An album both guitar and keyboard melodies deftly intertwine with the string defined and orchestration, then suddenly erupt into heart-wrenching and soulful confined by its crescendos. Such explosions are always expertly placed - the band delicate balance. lures listeners into a state of antic- ipation and flips the switch at the optimal moment to release a great deal of musical tension. of a winter scene, dominated by a This musical sensibility extends solitary and solemn old-fashioned into the album's lyrics. Though house upon a hill, invite the lis- bland and unimpressive on paper, tener into The Dirty Birds' fore- when combined with the musicethe boding haven. The house's many lyrics transform from nonchalant windows, lit with a sickly greenish statements into bold proclama- tint, convey the dampened bright- tions. The tangled love duet "Just ness of the album's sound. This As Blue" asks, "If there were no house is not only the perfect set- more air on earth / would I share ting for where an album like this my last breath with you?" This is may have been born, but also for a fairly morbid (if not somewhat where this album should ideally be tired) thought, yet the consistent listened to. and prevalent drum beats ground How the Cause Became the Cure the lofty wondering. is incredibly well-balanced. The Jaunty and jazzy, "Self-Disci- album not only flourishes in pro- pine" earnestly inquires "So will duction quality, but also in lyrical somebody please tell me why the and musical terms - by blend- hell it derails me / every time ing so many genres, the album the world fails me?" without a becomes virtually genre-less. single hint of whiny adolescent This, however, is a double-edged attitude. In fact, the song's heavy sword - with no distinct and jazz influence turns this com- consistent "feel," there are few plaint on its head - the poten- situations where someone might tially petty question becomes a sa, "Man, this is the perfect time subtle expression of empower- for some Dirty Birds." ment. The Dirty Birds exhibit an The album is too tame to charge acute sensitivity to the interac- an atmosphere and too dynamic to tion between music and lyrics serve as chill background music. - each lineis crafted beautifully How the Cause Became the Cure and blends perfectly into the exists in a gorgeous but cursed surrounding orchestration. musical limbo - if the album How the Cause Became the Cure were to leave this state, it would exhibitstwoaspectsofalbumcom- be undone. This delicate balance pilation that can be hard to master, is what both defines and confines especially for such a young group. the album. Bringing a taste of sophistication to TV By CHRISTINA ANGER DailyArts Writer Compared to most dramatic, trashy and pathetically *** rose-bearing reality televi- Chef Academy sion, a culi- nary program Mondays at can be a glass 10p.m. of Cabernet Bravo Sauvignon in a lineup of double cheeseburgers and fries. Bravo, home of arguably the DON'T LET YOUR DEVELOPMENT GET ARRESTED. WRITE FOR DAILY TV/NEW MEDIA. OTHERWISE, YOU MAY END UP LOST. OR BORED TO DEATH. E-mail join.artsilumich.edu for an application. best cooking show on TV, "Top Chef," now introduces "Chef Acddemy," starring French chef Jean Christophe Novelli. "Chef Academy" can't replace the obsession-producing qualities of "Top Chef" (like underdogs racing against the clock and an obscure set of rules); it also lacks the unnecessary cursing and hell- ish fear seen in "Hell's Kitchen," with Chef Gordon Ramsay single- handedly discouraging anyone from wanting to join the restau- rant business. But in its own way, "Chef Academy" still promises entertainment, suspense and anything taste good, but ze food high-class food. iz ze most important part of the "Chef Academy" follows Chef show. Dramatic flour explosions and spittle-laiden bouts of criti- cism don't take center stage - ze food does, largely because there's Taking the no competition. The candidates can't win or lose, but they're sau- competition out t ing and chopping to stay in the h kacademy. of the kitchen. Chef Novelli embraces his pas- sion for food. Imagine a barista in France, overlooking the water, Novelli on his quest to start a culi- with a glass of vino and a French nary school in the United States. accent full of chocolaty thickness, He has an accent that could make See CHEF, Page 7A 41Mict~igant, i!APRESEFN TS RENTAL 1~ the NLIN CLA SIFI D 00 - U D-IIKU SICK OF THE DORMS? CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE? Visit michigandaily.com/classifieds to see all of the great houses and apartments Ann Arbor has to offer on a convenient map! Also be sure to check out the Classified Pages for other great properties, A A