On DVD (2010). Rated PG-13, 92 minutes. Trailer.
Easy A tells the story of a smart, quasi-moral and cynical high school girl that becomes known as the school tramp after she lies about having sex with a college boy (she didn't but she says she did). Although I am way out of the target demographic for this film, I am always interested in films that portray people that are smart and moral. To some extent, this one works, but it is way too glib for its own good, with an insulting and one-dimensional portrayal of Christians to boot. Olive (Emma Stone) is a high school senior living a typical smart girl uneventful life until the local holy roller overhears her telling her sex fib to her best friend in the school bathroom. Click below for more EA:
After that rumor spreads through the school, Olive is much more popular and becomes a target of the school's Christian group. Then, she agrees to lie about having sex with a male friend that is gay but just wants to get through high school without the ridicule. She agrees and then does the same with several other sympathetic male characters and becomes a full-fledged school tramp. At first she embraces it and wears a scarlett 'A' on her new risque clothing, but then regrets it. As she grapples with her situation, she learns a lot about people and perception and ultimately finds a way to reverse most of what she has done.
The movie gets lots of points for interesting takes on peer pressure, friendships, perception, male and female promiscuity and teenage perspectives. Her class is reading The Scarlett Letter at the same time this happens (of course), and the screenwriters try and succeed at landing a few parallels. The Olive character is interesting and somewhat sympathetic, but her lack of strong moral conviction and screwy parents (more on that later) didn't allow me to root for her. Stone is great in the role and I look forward to her role as Peter Parker's girlfriend in the next few Spiderman movies.
Indie stalwarts Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci are Olive's poorly written, liberal fantasy camp parents. They are 'buddies' with Olive and her adopted 10 year old brother. Every time they are onscreen (at least 20 minutes) it was like fingers on a chalkboard for me. The other major flaw with the film is the portrayal of the Christians. I am the first to rip self-righteousness and loathe the 'holier than thou' group in any school setting, but this was just dumb. They are hateful and stupid, and they even sing and dance to goofy Christian songs before school.
The film is uneven and could have been really good with stronger direction.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Easy A - B-
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1 comment:
Well, we came to the same grade but for different reasons. Her parents worked for me due to the humor, but obviously they are unrealistic. Kudrow and Church worked for me as well. Too bad not everyone knows how chlamydia is spread. I liked the throwback to the 80s and the subtle references. With the exception of the closing and opening song, the music was awful. Her new boyfriend was way underwritten. Every teen was a caricature but it did seem they were going after Breakfast Club archetypes. The opening and closing credits were distracting and pointless. And yes, every scene with a "Christian" in it was unwatchable.
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