Emma Stone is making a solid career for herself playing the “other girl” in films. At only 22, Stone has realized her strength as an actress is playing roles that aren’t necessarily the head cheerleader or hot girl type character. Instead Stone plays characters like the quirky best friend, or lone girl band member. In her new film Easy A, Stone gets to dabble in the best of both worlds by playing the cute smart girl and the trampy hot girl.
In Easy A Emma Stone plays Olive; a clean-cut teenager reliant on her intelligence and wit to get her through the mundane days of high school. Olive never thought being popular mattered to her until she told her best friend a white lie about losing her virginity. That little fib turns in to a full-on high school rumor when the school’s goody-two-shoes Christian crusader (Amanda Bynes) tells the whole school of Olive’s sinful exploits. Olive tried resisting the lies at first, but secretly likes the attention. That one rumor soon turns in to a slew of trash talk after Olive agrees to help an in-the-closet friend by pretending they slept together. Once rumors of Olive’s big heart and open arms hit the school, Olive was open for business.
Directed by Will Gluck (Fired Up!) and written by first time screenwriter Bert V. Royal, Easy A is a fun witty comedy a little too adult for its own good. The material is clever and the jokes are strong, however, the film is based on themes of promiscuity, STD’s, and selling your soul to be popular. Although the film redeems itself in the end, the very adult topics might be too risqué for some of the young tweeners that trick their parents in to letting them see the film. When it comes to the star of Easy A, Emma Stone steals the film with her charming personality and clear affinity for comedy. Stone’s performance is sure to open the door for future comedic roles as sarcasm and levity seem to be second nature to the young actress. Notable performances also go to both Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson who effortlessly play Olive’s quirky quick-lipped parents.
As for the story, the film by genre is a teenage-dramedy, meaning there are shticky conventions you have seen before: nerd becomes popular, friends become enemies (and vice versa), an ongoing rivalry between the school’s student body president and the unpopular underdog, etc. Despite its formulaic plot, Easy A still presents itself as a new kind of teen comedy. The film even pays special homage to the John Hughes era of films, which the filmmakers will not let you forget paved the way for all teen angst films to come. Easy A is no Say Anything, but it is a film that will leave you laughing and not running for the door as most current teen films tend to do.
Bottom Line: Despite its PG-13 rating, Easy A delves in to adult themes that might be a little much for its younger viewers. Luckily screenwriter Bert Royal was smart enough to make the witty banter travel slightly above the average teens vocabulary. For a film about teenagers, Easy A is surprisingly fast, funny, and easy to watch. Emma Stone is the star for a reason, and the film is worth watching just to see her develop as a comedienne. It may not earn an A+, but Easy A earns a solid B.
Starring: Amanda Bynes, Cam Gigandet, Emma Stone, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Tucci
Director: Will Gluck
Released: September 17, 2010
Rated: Pg-13 - for mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material
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