"Easy A" (Will Gluck, 2010)
bril·liant /ˈbrɪlyənt/ [bril-yuhnt]
–adjective
1. shining brightly; sparkling; glittering; lustrous: the brilliant lights of the city.
2. distinguished; illustrious: a brilliant performance by a young pianist.
3. having or showing great intelligence, talent, quality, etc.: a brilliant technician.
4. strong and clear in tone; vivid; bright: brilliant blues and greens; the brilliant sound of the trumpets.
5. splendid or magnificent: a brilliant social event.
It's about time I wrote my reviw of Easy A, which I went to see over a month ago. I have had internet problems, and then it seemed too late to write it, but then I just couldn't waste the blog title I had thought of in the cinema. Consider this an early review of the DVD release.
Easy A is in the long fine tradition of charming, witty American High School comedies. Self-aware and knowing without being tongue-in-cheek, Clueless and Mean Girls are the classics of the genre. I would add Glee to the list as a small-screen variation.
Starring Emma Stone (alumnus of that charming, witty American college comedy The House Bunny), Easy A is one of those rare treats - a Hollywood movie that doesn't talk down to it's young audience. There were jokes I laughed at alone. Fine. There were jokes that went right over my head. Fantastic. Just don't spell them out. And if you can make a serious point about sexual double standards at the same time as making me laugh, so much the better.
Yes, Easy A is the Scarlet Letter set in a high school. Everything changes, but some things never change. And look how much she looks like a young Lindsay Lohan!
Classic literature is a goldmine of teen movies. I'm hoping to see the vampire craze satirised in an updated Northanger Abbey some time soon.
Mean Girls 2 is due for release soon. Do yourself a favour and see it's spiritual sequel instead - Easy A.
