Easy A

Written by Bert V. Royal and produced and directed by Will Gluck (Fired Up - 2009, Friend's With Benefits - 2011), Easy A is a hit for all involved. The script is quick and the characters are (mostly) likeable. Even Amanda Bynes' overtly Christian 'Marianne' is just witty enough to make her evangelical preaching amusing.

Emma Stone's appearance in Superbad (2007) had already encouraged me to look out for her. The WHAT THE FUCK!? being a firm favourite in my YouTube bookmarks. If you don't remember or haven't seen it, click the link. It's funny.

However, since watching Easy A, Stone has charmed me into downloading every film she has been in. Thus, an Emma Stone filmathon will ensue: The Rocker (2008), The House Bunny (2008), Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009), Paper Man (2009), Zombieland (2009) and Marmaduke (2010). Very excited.

Stone's funny and charming character has female viewers wishing they had her innate humour, while male viewers wish their girlfriends were that cool. And probably wish that they would throw on a corset from time to time.

Our protagonist Olive is a witty and modest nobody at her high school and there is no typical 'popular girl' common to this genre of film. Which is more than refreshing. No fighting over the popular boy. No fabulous make over (it's more radical, than fabulous...). And the closest thing to a cat fight are Rih's unconventional terms of endearment and a scorned Christian's bitch-slap.

I suppose, technically, I was bound to some what enjoy this film purely because of Penn Badgley. Being a Gossip Girl fan, I look forward to any film with the cast members in, especially the pretty ones. Badgley plays the kind-hearted gent and back-seat boyfriend in Olive's story. I was worried at one point that Woodchuck Todd would jump in, save the princess and claim his woman. But Olive continued to dictate the direction of her story throughout, which I liked.

Easy A is a brilliant representation of modern high school life. With social networking at it's peak, the ability to learn information (be it fact or fable) at the click of a button, rumours really can spread like wild fire. Even if this has been done in many a teen flick before, a trait that is never lost in this film is the insistence of quick wit and not backing down to conventionality. To have courage in one's self, whoever you may choose to be.

I loved it. Go watch it.

xo

Top 5 quotes of Easy A:

Rosemary Penderghast (Olive's mother): "Any friend of Olive's is a friend of my daughter."

Mrs Griffith: "He's not the sharpest Christian in the bible." 

Olive Penderghast: "Jesus. What is with you gays? Are you really that repulsed by lady parts? What do you think I have down there, a gnome?"

Olive Penderghast: "Great. Now I'm a tramp. I'm gonna have to get a lower back tattoo and pierce something not on my face."

Brandon: "I'm drunk. What's up, bitches?"