Easy A . Sony Pictures, 2010.Cast: Emma Stone, Stanley Tucci, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley.
Director: Will Gluck
Screen Writer: Bert V. Royal
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 92minutes.
ASIN: B0036TGSIK
Plot:
After letting her best friend believe she lost her virginity, Olive becomes the subject of gossip at her high school. Believing that its better than being invisible, she decides to encourage the gossip instead of putting a stop to it. When a gay friend comes to her asking for help with his reputation, she agrees to let everyone think that they had sex. In return, he gives her a gift to thank her. Soon, she has other boys in the school coming to her with the offer of gifts to say that they had a physical relationship. As her reputation worsens, Olive gains the attention of the school’s Christian group, who even go so far as to picket her. Her best friend doesn’t like the attention Olive is receiving and the two have a fight. The only friend Olive has left is the boy on whom she has had a crush since she was 12. Olive finally reaches the point where she can’t deal with the rumors or they way they are making her feel anymore and decides to let everyone know the truth in a very creative way.
Critical Evaluation:
Emma Stone really shines in Easy A. She’s a young actress with a long comedic career ahead of her. She is able to deliver lines with both a deadpan sincerity and a sarcastic wittiness that keeps the viewer laughing throughout most of the movie. She portrays Olive as both hilariously confident and awkward, while at the same time vulnerable and sometimes defensive. Olive’s interactions with her family are priceless.
Easy A manages the difficult task of projecting a very obvious moral without losing any of its entertainment value. It is able to comment on both the danger of rumors as well as the hypocrisy of the reaction to sex in high school, but it does so in a way that the audience doesn’t feel as if it's preaching. Instead it is packaged as a comedic romance that just happens to have a good message. It’s one that can be enjoyable for teens and adults alike.
Annotation:
After helping a friend by lying about her sexual experience, Olive decides to use her new reputation to her advantage. She soon finds out rumors can get out of hand, even when you start them yourself.
Director Information:
Will Gluck has been involved with the film industry in numerous capacities since 1996. He started his career as a writer for the John Laraquette Show. He has written for several television shows since then. In 1998 he also began producing many of the shows for which he wrote. He then made his directorial debut with 2009’s Fired Up. He's next movie is coming out in 2011.
Genre:
Comedy
Curriculum Ties:
English: Modern Comparison to The Scarlet Letter
Movie Talking Ideas:
- Talk about the rumors being started and how they got out of control.
- Discuss the connection between the movie and The Scarlet Letter.
- Present a basic plot teaser as Olive using the signs like she did in her confession.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
13 and older
Challenge Issues:
Suggestive lLanguage
Sexual content
Anti-religion
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
It's a recent movie that has received favorable reviews.
