Easy A (2010)

Genre

Comedy | Romance

Director

Will Gluck

Country

USA

Cast

Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes,  Dan Byrd, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Cam Gigandet, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Aly Michalka, Stanley Tucci, Mahaley Manning, Jake Sandvig, Bryce Clyde Jenkins, Johanna Braddy, Fred Armisen, Stacey Travis, Juliette Goglia, Braeden Lemasters

Storyline

After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), a clean cut high school girl, sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in "The Scarlet Letter," which she is currently studying in school - until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

Opinion

One day, about 4 years ago, I was fooling around on the iTunes Store looking for a film to watch. As my eyes landed on this one's poster, I was enraptured by it: I couldn't help but watch it. And boy if I'm glad I did, first because this film feels like one of John Hughes' 80's movies, second because I saw the wonderful Emma Stone acting for the first time.

Funny, yet very realistic, Easy A is the redemption of teen movies, lead by a charming Emma Stone.

Will Gluck manages to handle a very strong theme in today's society without slipping into banality or vulgarity, and teaches us two things. One, sometimes lies travels faster than the truth. Two, people are talking behind your back? Who cares, just shake it off.

The writing is clever and spontaneous, and the dialogue is pretty good for its kind, and there are several great jokes. The plot has some flaws and is quite predictable, yet the events are portrayed with such skills, they are still a pleasure to be witnessed.

The best part of the film is the main character. Olive is not the teenage girl we are used to see thank to Hollywood. She is not a sour, ugly girl with braces and eyeglasses, considered a loser because still a virgin. And she is neither that beautiful, popular girl from school, the one that goes around throwing her cat at everybody, and is envied by all the girls. No, Olive is a beautiful girl, yet bright and intelligent, and represents that kind of girl that is now fading, the one that doesn't follow the flow, and tries to preserve her dignity.

Emma Stone certainly steals the show. She is lovely, sweet, and sarcastic as Olive, and words can't express how much I love her voice. Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, and Aly Michalka all do a fine job. Dan Byrd has a great potential as a comedian, as also proved in TBS' TV Series Cougar Town. Great acting also comes from the veteran supporting cast. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson have a great chemistry, and are the stars of a few of the most funny scenes. Thomas Hayden Church does a good job as Mr. Griffith, Olive's teacher. Lisa Kudrow is also good as the mean school counselor Mrs. Griffith.

Closing note. There's been lot of complaining about the casting of Emma Stone. Tons of people believe she is too good looking to pass unnoticed, and that takes credibility from the story. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, because that happens in real life high school. At least it happened in my high school. This is how it works, if you are not an easy girl, if you don't like partying, or doing thing a teenager is supposed to do and enjoy - aka you are different from the mass -, you are less likely to be popular and more likely to pass unnoticed, regardless of your exterior aspect.

Quotes

Olive Penderghast: I was used to being by myself, but I had never felt more alone.