A movie review: Easy A

Megan and I went to see this movie the other night at a free screening event, and all I have to say is well done, Sony; great film to produce. Oh, and I may spill some plot lines here, so if you're like me and like to be surprised you will be upset with some of the following information.

Basically the film pays homage to the John Hughes classics of the 80s, as well as another classic film from that decade, Say Anything. In fact, there are many a reference to Mr. Hughes, including a shout out to Ferris Bueller's shower scene with the shampoo mohawk. But it does more than make a few references; "Easy A" is cleverly written in the style of Hughes. If you like a whip-smart teenage girl who is wise beyond her years with her retorts, you'd like Olive. Plus, she's funny. And not just a slapstick version of funny, but the lines written for Olive are witty and intelligent, not something you see a lot of these days.

Premise: Emma Stone plays Olive, a girl who lies about losing her virginity but then becomes the butt of the joke in her high school's rumor mill. The lies get worse and worse as she tries to help out the "lower class" of Southern California public high school society: nerds, wimps, a gay friend. And it just keeps getting worse for poor Olive. And so, because she's a funny girl and appreciates a good cultural reference, and because her English class is studying "The Scarlet Letter," Olive takes it upon herself to wear Hester Prynn's letter around campus on a newly skanked-up wardrobe, taking on the world of high school gossip and drama. She does solve the problem of the continuous rumor mill by addressing her peers online (because kids take to the internet instead of sending memos to the class), and she rides off into the sunset with the guy on a lawnmower, fists pumped into the air a la Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club.

The best part about the movie, though, would have to be the casting. Oh, how I love the casting! Emma Stone, first of all - how adorable is she? - is perfect as Olive, though I didn't really think the name fit the character. It probably helps that Stone appears to have a quirky sense of humor. Her parents were played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. Even more perfect! I wanted them to be my parents after I left the movie. I mean, spelling out a dirty word in your peas because you don't want your younger brother to know the word - c'mon. Too good. They played those roles perfectly. It could also have been how the characters were written, but give credit where credit is due: both actors are way under used and super good. Penn Badgley of "Gossip Girl" fame plays Woodchuck Todd, the looove interest. It would probably have been more believable to have him still in high school if he didn't look to be in his early 20s, but he was still very excellent in the role. And Amanda Bynes, who retired but didn't retire and maybe this was her last movie pre-retirement, anyway... she's in it, too. But again, she's 24, too, and talk about overkill on the make-up. She's still damn funny, but it's weird to see her in a high school role again. I think Hollywood needs to figure out a way to hire some actual teenagers for teenage roles, but I guess they would not cast people if they did not fit the part. At least they weren't 30-year-olds trying to pull off 18. And Thomas Hayden Church and Lisa Kudrow as faculty members? Yes, please. Awesome.

I think the most concerning part of the film, though it is very smart and clever and funny, is the truth behind the high school rumor mill, especially these days. This poor girl isn't even across the school courtyard and already half the school has heard she's lost her virginity. And even when she tries to tell her best friend the truth, her friend believes the rumors more than the truth. It's seriously bad out there, and these kids have no self-esteem already, so of course their going to team up and join the flock in making sure they are not the victims of a cruel cruel rumor-fueled world. What with gossip feeding the American economy - tell me you didn't notice Lindsey Lohan making the evening news a couple of weeks ago, taking priority over a tragic day overseas in the Middle East - and the internet and text messaging as the wave of the future, it's going to be a different world when our kids are in school.

Oh, and in case you're wondering where the name of the movie comes from, A is the letter poor Hester Prynn gets to wear on her chest, carrying her bastard baby around town, getting judged by everyone else about what kind of person she is. And Easy would be in reference to how easy it is for people to believe Olive has become a slut; also in reference to a lady or gentleman who has the sex with whomever whenever they want.

Basically, I'm saying this is a flick you could see in the movie theater and not be disappointed about paying the money for it. If you went to a matinee, it'd be cheaper, but I'd say I might even wait for an evening ticket... no, I'm more a matinee person anyway. I was laughing a good part of the time and there were parts I wished I wasn't so I could hear the dialogue because it was so smart, but then I wouldn't have been laughing and it was very funny, so that would have been a bummer. Perhaps when it comes out to a smaller theater - you know, the kind that's $3 a ticket - I'd even see it again.