Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)

I’m not really a huge fan of teenage comedies so I didn’t have high expectations for this film. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised.

I rolled my eyes at the plot (of course, being a teenage film, it has to revolve around virginity, it seems). Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) lies to her friend that she slept with a guy, and it’s overheard by Marianne, a zealous Christian classmate (played by Amanda Bynes). Problem is, Marianne spreads the rumour around the school, and then of course, Olive develops a reputation as a tramp, sleeping around with every guy. In what is probably a more unusual twist, Olive actually embraces the attention and fuels these rumours but then things start getting difficult for her. Through in a few subplots and you’ve got yourself the basis of this film. Interestingly, the film is narrated as a web cam confession, where Olive is telling her side of the story and guiding the audience through the story’s events.

What I like about Easy A is that there are a plenty of one-liners and clever dialogue − I describe it as a sort of Juno-esque film. And I also found it clever that it ties in with the novel The Scarlett Letter, which Olive happens to be studying at school. One of my favourite scenes was this one:

It’s not a particularly eventful montage but one that sets up the running gag throughout the film with Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine”. (There is also some other good music in the film, from artists like The Pussycat Dolls).

On the other hand, there are some really strange characters, such as Olive’s parents − I would love to meet parents who are actually like that, as well as a guidance counsellor with an interesting story of her own (played by Lisa Kudrow). Also, I found some of the scenes in the film very artificial and hard to believe. I’m young enough to remember my highschool experience and either the film portrays a distinctly American highschool experience, or reality is being slightly exaggerated. For instance, the fact Olive can suddenly just be best friends with Marianne, or that she can be best friends with such a seemingly opposite person, or even that Todd is somehow unconvinced by the rumours the rest of the school believes (ah, the power of love). I get that this isn’t a serious film and these instances may be serving as sarcastic instances meant to parody teenagers but to me, they seem like conveniently placed events that serve to advance the plot (and more than the usual degree of “convenience” I expect in film storylines).

Anyway, the film touches on many other teenage themes, like body image and self-esteem, friendship, loyalty and love. I like when one of the teachers talks about Facebook and how rumours can spread online, and sometimes even the mundane nature of social networks, which I found amusing. It’s actually a pretty clever way of getting a message through to teenagers about problems with online gossip.

When I heard that this film had received a Golden Globe nomination (Emma Stone for Best Actress), I’m sure I wasn’t the only person left bewildered − “Are teenage comedies like this supposed to win awards, especially when they’re competing with those more ‘serious’ drama films?” I think that’s probably a common attitude to award shows like the Golden Globes and the Oscars, an attitude which has been enforced over the years. I mean, we didn’t see anyone from American Pie winning an Academy Award, for instance? However, though there were a few unusual nominations (in my opinion), after watching this film, I wholeheartedly endorsed the nomination for Emma Stone. It was Stone’s character that really drove this film and without the performance she gave, I think the film would not have been as effective.

Yes, there were cringe-worthy moments and stereotypes, and what I feel were unrealistic situations, yet in the context of this film and with an entertaining talent like Emma Stone, these flaws were forgiven.

3.5/5