Sunday while my daughter was at the mall (surely NOT flirting with boys) trying on zebra and rose printed pants (1 pair pants + 2 patterns = yikes) my bff, Mary Sue, and I went to see “An Education,” an Oscar nominated film starring Peter Sarsgaard.    The film received a good review in our local paper and is the story of a 30 something man (like me, Peter Saarsgaard  was born in 1971, so he’s barely clinging to the 30’s, LOL) who seduces a 16 year old girl, Jenny.

We arrived at the theatre about 15 minutes early and sat in the top row.  Looking around, Mary Sue said “What’s with all the elderly men?”   Yes, scattered around the theatre, each sitting  ALONE, were 12-15 white-haired gents.  And us.  

Mary Sue was pondering what might have drawn them all to the theatre.   I wondered if they were expecting a Lolita-esque tale and found myself worrying about how many might be on the sex offender registry (of course, being in our 30’s, I doubt we would be a draw to these particular gentlemen.) 

The movie was good and, surprisingly,  for a tale of seduction, it had no actual sex scenes.  It was more a story of a con man and how he seduced a girl with the promise of an exciting, sophisticated life. (Not sex.)

However, one scene may be the freakiest thing I have ever seen in a movie.  Jenny, upon reaching the age of 17, decides she is ready to have a sexual relationship; David (Peter Sarsgaard’s character) arranges a weekend in Paris.  In their hotel room, wearing a negligée,  Jenny approaches the bed but David stops, exclaims “Wait a minute,” and heads to the bathroom.  He returns, banana in hand, and says “Since it’s your first time and it will be messy, I thought we’d use this.”

In his hand was 

a banana

AN OVERLY RIPE, YELLOW AND SPOTTY

VERY CURVY

BANANA!!! 

I’m not sure why I find this so, well, freaky.   I just can’t get over it.  Whhhhhhy?  Why would anyone think that was a good idea?   

They didn’t end up having sex that night (duh?)

But she didn’t flee in horror and did (later) end up having sex with him (which happened off screen, much to the disappointment of my theatre-mates.) 

Which may be freakier than the banana itself.

I liked the main character, Jenny; I could see why she might be conned by David and his promise of glamour and fun; however, I just can’t get past the banana.  

(Or the fact that he wanted to call her “Minnie” and for him to call her “heffalump” or “gumplywink,” something like that.)

Obviously, the skeeviest part was a 30-something year old man picking up an obvious school girl (when they first met she was in her school uniform, carrying her cello and actually looked her age.)

Hmm.. in fact, my own 15-year-old looks older than the school girl Jenny.

I guess I should be thankful that Reagan has a nice, age-appropriate boyfriend. (Which, from the point of a view of  a mother is maybe worse than no boyfriend at all, LOL.)

Nevertheless, this movie made me want to warn her about all the “bad guys” out there. I want to remind her to follow her instincts, not to doubt herself, as I did when I was her age, with fairly disastrous consequences.

She thinks she’s so grown up, that she can handle any situation, that no harm can happen to her.   She doesn’t realize that those with poor intentions can also be handsome and charming (and may be wielding bananas.)