Easy A (2010)

I think this is one of the best movies of the decade. Emma Stone is awesome and such a great actress. The story is impressive and super truthful to American's high school current reality. The Story: Olive Penderghast is a normal high school student just trying to "blend in the crowd". At some part, she says she lost her virginity to a boy in community college and everyone starts to call her a "dirty skank". Then, she starts dressing like one and pretending to have sex for money. This girl just wants to find true love but anybody would ask her out. The movie ends in a high note with a precious lesson: don't worry about what the others say about you. Just live your life. Such a great movie. I do really recommend it. :) :)

Fmovies: Greetings again from the darkness. This is an obvious (and proud of it) homage to the great teen films of John Hughes. It is updated for this generation of teens - replete with FaceBook, texting and webcam. While this one may not have the fully realized characters of the Hughes films, it actually takes things a step further in its commentary on many topics: family life, parenting, religious zealotry, rumor-mongering and the public education system.

Writer Bert V. Royal's script delivers an intellectual and comedic look into high school life ... told through the eyes of the smart, "invisible" girl. Just a brief overview will be offered here so as not to take away from the multiple layers.

Emma Stone ("Zombieland", "The House Bunny") delivers a star-making performance as Olive. Forced into a faux-confession by her best friend, Olive experiences the efficiencies of digital gossip spreading as word leaks regarding the apparent loss of her "V card". Even though this one is based in Ojai, California, it's nice to know that high school promiscuity is still met with a certain stigma. Here that stigma is compared to Hawthorne's expert novel, The Scarlet Letter.

This sets into action a series of unforeseen events. The school's religious nuts, led by Amanda Bynes, take Olive's situation as a personal affront and spend a great deal of effort trying to punish her for her sins. At the same time, the geeks and dweebs view Olive as their savior and proceed to take advantage of the opportunity.

While she is presented as a very sharp-witted, well-grounded teenager, Olive experiences the enormous power of a reputation. All of this is balanced out by her extraordinary relationship with her free-spirited, yet wise parents played by Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci.

I can't possibly do justice to the script or the numerous topics broached, but I will say that it's a welcome new approach to teen movies. The usual schlock sex is replaced by sharp quips and real pressures. Do note that the dialogue is filled with much harsh language that wouldn't be welcome in an environment other than a high school campus. Further support work is offered by Penn Badgley as the good guy, Thomas Haden Church as a new world cool teacher, Malcolm McDowell as an old school principal and Lisa Kudrow as a guidance counselor (in a role that gives me permission to feel the disgust I usually feel when she is on screen).

Don't be scared off thinking this is another lousy teen flick. It is instead an insightful comedy that plays well for adults and teens. While you may not agree with all of the social observations, I believe you will agree the film is presented in a most entertaining and insightful manner.

June 2 2010 - saw advanced preview of "Easy A" tonight. Emma Stone plays sarcasm great in this one, and supporting cast works well with her. Emma also narrates heavily throughout, and though not rolling on the floor funny, this has the feel of a John Hughes film (even makes reference to him in a longing way). Thomas Haden Church is funny as the only teacher we really meet, and Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson are well cast as the understanding and 60's hippy mentality parents. The crowd I saw it with laughed frequently, and there are a lot of "I've been there" or "I've seen that" moments that you can relate to from your own high school. The writing is a little bit above the age - that is to say, you'd be surprised to hear the advanced dialog coming from today's teenagers, but this movie worked for me and those with me. Makes for a fun night at the movies. Scheduled for release Sept 17 2010.

Easy A fmovies. Through much of the beginning of "Easy A," you have to find all the '80s teen comedy homages fishy. Maybe director Will Gluck and Burt V. Royal are trying to dress up a classic Hughesian formula with modern banter and social media references. Then, somewhere near the halfway point, comes the admission. Olive, played by up-and-comer Emma Stone, confesses she wants her life to have a "Sixteen Candles" or "Breakfast Club" or "Say Anything" moment. Ah, and suddenly this is homage territory -- much better. Like the rest of this hip, fun and surprisingly touching comedy, any time "Easy A" wanders down the path of cliché, a killer line or great scene nullifies it.

It all begins and ends with Stone, who can do a little bit of everything, which ought to ensure her a long career. She can do typical teen comedy lead autopilot/earn our sympathy, she can command the improvisation-like tangential dry humor that has defined the comedies of the last five or so years and she can be the sensitive, fragile Molly Ringwald type. Nothing feels forced or unnatural in her performance. She seems to be having fun and milking to goofy nature of Royal's script.

More importantly, the reason "Easy A" is so good is because it never stops being about Olive's story. A high school nobody, Olive lets her best friend (Alyson Michalka) pressure her into lying about losing her virginity. The simple lie gets overheard by the super-Christian Miss Everybody (Amanda Bynes) and suddenly everyone sees Olive differently, or sees her period. After deciding to embrace the attention as school slut (the story reaches here a bit), Olive then starts to pretend to have sex with guys in need of a reputation boost, which consequently sullies her own.

The only real problem with "Easy A" is that there's no good reason to believe Stone was this unattractive nobody given her actual attractiveness and the friends she has -- and we're supposed to believe that suddenly everyone is interested in her because she lost her virginity. Gluck tries to spin this into a positive by making it almost comical how everyone is staring at her or waiting in a perfect line for her to come down the hall, but it's the one scratch in this gem -- take it or leave it. The script and humor and situations that arise eventually more than make up for this road bump.

Gluck's filmmaking is hip and common of modern comedy while the writing is clever and spontaneous. For no logical reason, a scene when Olive's gay friend Brandon (the one she helps first) comes over, Stone and Patricia Clarkson, who plays her mother, do this quick exchange of pretending they're in the Old South and a boy has come over and asked for her. Though completely random and a bit forced, they actually work well at making the characters seem more organic, which is the challenge of most comedies, especially those made today.

Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as the parents are the comic relief. When was the last time parents in a teen comedy were genuine comic relief? They walk a fine line between wacko and genuinely caring and loving parents, but it totally works. Two more originally funny parents haven't existed on film before. Characters such as the aforementioned best friend Rhiannon and Bynes' are more by-the-book as far as being teen comedy stencils, but like every other small flaw with the film, they're covered up by all the multi-dimesional and more interesting ones. Worthy of mention are

Emma Stone stars as Olive, a lonely heart who lies about losing her virginity to her best friend and soon rumour spreads she is a slut. Initially mortified Olive parades around the school as a slut, wearing an 'A' on her clothing but soon she ends up in trouble.

Described as "the best teen comedy since Mean Girls" this is a must see because quite simply, it is. The comedy variety of clever performances, physical humour and beautiful word play make a combination of knockabout comedy a treat for anyone over 15 years of age that will entertain you for a glorious hour and a half.

Emma Stone in her first major leading role excels as a typical but not yet typical teenager going through life's friendship and educational battles, and thankfully with a difference. Olive narrates via an internet blog about how everything came about and her life and school reputation changed. Through some original narrative design and comic brightness audiences are easily engaged into the world of its heroine.

Stone's performance is indescribably funny. From singing alone in her bedroom to strutting around in revealing clothing and making us laugh at the same time has made her a star for the future. One scene where she pretends to have it on in a bedroom is very funny and whilst marketed as a comedy, the inevitable drama sequences show Stone as a rock.

Stone steals the film but thanks to the experience of Stanley Tucci and Thomas Haden Church we have an array of comic genius. Tucci has never been funnier.

The plot boasts some great twists and turns whilst marketing some great songs on its soundtrack. The way it separates itself from the normal comedy, by diversifying itself through visual aids such as the live web blog or plot differentiations makes it one out watch over and over again.

A couple of drawbacks include the fact Lisa Kudrow cannot shake the Phoebe tag and the ending is slightly predictable.

These minor things aside this is a knockabout comedy with a great lead performance that is certainly worth checking out.

Just saw this with my daughter who is 13. She has just recently seen all the John Hughes 80's movies (Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, etc.) and said it felt just like one of them. I couldn't agree more - great direction and just a hint of a wacky feel to it. Realistic, fun and interesting *normal* parents that don't take the world too seriously and want to be there for their kid.

The only parts that didn't hold up was a couple of logistical things (like a girl that good looking not having any guys following her around, and having a best friend who is such a ditz). All in all though the plot stuck together, was edgy in a few ways, and thoroughly entertaining. I'd put it on the shelf right next to the John Hughes films, and that is a distinguished place indeed.