Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)
This intelligent teen comedy, wait did I really wrote that? Yes, it is an intelligent teen comedy that describes best this Emma Stone (Zombieland) movie where the main character, Olive, pretends to have lost her virginity to get rid of her annoying friend. Beginning as a little lie, this declaration of her faked sexual exploits snowballs into the great story of Easy A. First, she’ll pretend to sleep with guys who have problems to replace their popularity in school. Shortly after, her reputation will catch her up and the helpful girl will have to deal with the consequences of her declarations.
The supporting cast is large and looks like if everybody (Stanley Tucci, Lisa Kudrow, Amanda Bynes, Patricia Clarkson, Malcolm McDowell, Fred Armisen, Thomas Haden Church, Penn Badgley) wanted to appear in this fresh good hearted comedy. Olive’s family is funny, present, supportive and finally the parents (Patrica Clarcson and Staley Tucci) aren’t strict stubborn or stupid useless characters. What’s putting apart Easy A is how it falls into the cliché then uses it and turn it upside down to analyzes the whole thing with Olive’s podcast. Easy A wants to be in the 2010’s what John Hugues teenager comedies were, intelligent, thoughtful, and moments that the teenagers of its time could rely to and understand the feelings of its characters. The many references to Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueler’s Day Off, Breakfast Club, etc., aren’t put there just for nostalgia, they refer to great teen flicks and a standard that’s haven’t been achieved for a long time. This is the perfect example of a modest but brilliant film that doesn’t take people for idiots and ignorant.
Moreover, this is a fun film to watch and the story is as original as you may have hoped it to be. It doesn’t fall into the easy penis jokes that the teen comedies like American Pie and Seth Rogen have set as standards and that seemed like the only way to make laugh the younger generations. Even if those comedies where the fat laughter is permitted, sometimes you need meat around the bone... (sorry this one was too easy)
If you want a fun movie with intelligent lines and an original screenplay describing with exactitude the high school life we all lived with the chit-chat, the rumours, the attitude, the gangs, etc. For once, a movie that speaks to you, that makes you think in the same time that you have a load of entertainment. Watch this film it’s for your own good.
I saw this one about a month ago, but I'm afraid I didn't enjoy it much. Had a few funny moments but I didn't think it was particularly clever or original. To each his own.
ReplyDeleteI kind of really liked the satirical comment on the clichés of the genre and the allusions to the Hugues comedies of the 1980's...
ReplyDeleteLike you said, to each his own.
After having recently watched Breakfast Club, I do see where not only the references, but the actual structure of the film pays homage in a subtle and clever way. This is most certainly the definition of a genre film, in its best sense as part of a tradition of stories worth telling. It was uplifting to see a "teen movie," as is said, showing a little more substance. As regards to technology, in Breakfast Club we hear music mise en scene without the help of a boombox and the physical evidence of their coming to consciousness is symbolized by the letter. Podcasts are too current, literally not objective enough. Still, Easy A didn't leave me regretting or my lady from buying our tickets.
ReplyDeleteI loved Easy A and I completely agree with what you wrote in your review. I had it as one of my Top 10 films of 2010.
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