ALARIS' REVIEWS

19th December 2010
Easy A (2010)

After watching the frankly awful She’s the Man (2006), I was wary of returning to the land of teen comedy. However, Easy A is evidence that all is not lost in the neverending battle against dumb high school movies.

The self conscious opening narrative did give me nervous palpitations, but thankfully, the script settles down into a surprisingly likeable story. Olive (Emma Stone) is a bright, easygoing student whose high school existence has been wholly unremarkable. When a casual lie to a friend takes on a life of its own in the high school gossip mill, Olive finds herself an outcast with some very interesting choices.

Easy A riffs off the classic high school text, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and does a fine job of navigating the tricky road between glamorising Olive’s behaviour and moralising against it. While Easy A is most definitely a chick flick, with some improbable plot developments, they’re easily overlooked because the main characters are empathetic and their motivations believable. The success of the film lies in the focus on Olive’s story – we follow her emotional journey, through her well meaning intentions, her questionable actions, their disastrous consequences, and most importantly, how she deals with it all.

Emma Stone is perfect as the wry, quirky Olive. I feel compelled to mention that she has a face like an anime character – all forehead and huge eyes, but enormously expressive. Her comic timing is great, and her emotional scenes convincing. She reminds me of the lovely Caroline Dhavernas from Wonderfalls (2006), and she makes Olive a fun underdog to watch. There’s a streak of Veronica Mars (2004) to her character, but less witty and ruthless. There’s also a hint of Daria (1997), but less misanthropic and jaded. Olive is likeable, believable, and funny, and through her misadventures, she faces the world on her own terms.

Thomas Haden Church (Ned & Stacey, 1995) also deserves a mention as Olive’s favourite teacher, Mr Griffith. He’s both hilarious and touching as the deadpan, literature teacher who just gets it. Patricia Clarkson (Cairo Time, 2009) and Stanley Tucci also give nice performances as Olive’s equally quirky, supportive parents.

Another of Easy A’s strengths lies in Olive’s various relationships. While many teen comedies are as egocentric as the teens themselves, Olive’s world is enriched by the playful, stabilising influence of her parents; her regard and empathy for her teachers; and her loyalty to former friends.

It’s refreshing and reassuring to see a teen comedy emerge from a premise like this with its self respect intact. It isn’t as sharply satirical as Mean Girls (2004), but it’s likeable and funny.

Verdict: A smart, entertaining film about lies, infamy, and underdogs in high school.

If you like Veronica Mars, you might like Easy A.