Rumours. Where would we be without rumours? Well, not here obviously, given that this website is fuelled by the gabbing mouths of someone-or-another, spouting amusing stories of vague interest about that person you tell everyone you hate but you secretly admire.
Pathetic, aren’t they?
Easy A deals with rumours. And with being a dirty skank. Mainly about the rumours, though.
Social outcast and all-round lovely ginger smiley person, Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), has a problem: she’s invisible.
Well, not literally, that’d be a completely different slice of clich?d movie pie. No – boys don’t notice her and she’s not one of the cool kids that hang around the Co-op. That all changes once the whole school thinks she lost her virginity to some older guy.
While certainly a non-skank and with virginity still intact, she throws dignity out of classroom, relishing in her new-found attention. Which, as you can imagine, doesn’t exactly go to plan for Olive.
Soon her reputation attracts the attention of her gay buddy, who – knowing she’s lying about the whole sordid shebang – utilises Olive’s reputation to convince everyone he’s very much not into the penis. Then every greasy schlub and overweight moob-owner wants a PR overdo, and Olive becomes a crusading fake fuck-bucket for the everyman.
It actually makes for a mature, well-handled script, filled to the brim with comedy and likeable performances. Emma Stone is so adorable that if you were forced to choose between kicking her or the puppy, you’d probably opt for the latter. She even manages to convince as a social outcast without the aid of glasses and/or a scrunchy, such is the power of her conviction.
She’s supported by a high-calibre cast of supporting stars, with the likes of Stanley Tucci (impossible to hate), Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow and Thomas Hayden Church. All have fairly minimal roles but all feel fully-formed characters in their own right. No small feat and we’d quite happily watch a movie focusing on any one of them.
It’s by no means a perfect teen comedy – some elements feel rushed; Olive’s webcam rants are a bit cheesy – but it manages to skew many of the tropes that make others feel so tired.
The writing’s top notch, even managing to educate the yoof of today in the literary ways of Nathaniel Hawthorne?s The Scarlet Letter (Olive wears a red ‘A’ relating to the book’s story). And Stone’s performance highlights her as a huge star in the waiting, making for a sharp, witty and engaging lead, carrying the film.
Anyway, it’s funny, which is all you really wanted to know, wasn’t it? Now if you don’t mind us, we’re getting back to our filthy, filthy rumours. Whatever pays the bills…
‘Spray Rating: 4/5
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