Temptress, tart, floozy, flirt, cheap, tramp, harlot, trollop, easy, ho’… are just some of the endearing terms you’ll hear being thrown around the playground these days. Pubescent promiscuity is nothing new – think back to that adult movie Kids or a little further back to Sodom and Gomorrah.

A high school reputation is built almost entirely on the sports field for guys, in the girl’s locker room for girls or behind the scoreboard for both. It’s that awkward age when everyone’s waiting for the next move, trying to fit in at all costs even if it means tossing name just so they aren’t voted as “Most likely to start a shoot out…” in their yearbook. This is the world of Easy A.

Emma Stone stars as Olive, a conscientious, diligent and pretty darn nerdy high school student in modern day America. High school can be tough on a kid, especially when you’re a goodie-two-shoes like Olive. When a white lie hits the ground like wild fire, Olive’s life starts to parallel that of Hester Prynne’s in The Scarlet Letter, a prescribed study book, which inspires her to use the rumour mill to her advantage, both socially and financially.

“The Scarlet Letter does NOT denote cup size.”

While Easy A falls into the same high school locker as movies like Jawbreaker, Clueless, Mean Girls and Ten Things I Hate About You, it stands out thanks to its first-rate cast and sharp writing. Apart from Juno, we’re just not used to smart dialogue when it comes to the usual high school fluff straight out of Hollywood. Perhaps its a comment on Canadian schooling – or just lazy scriptwriting? Easy A appeals to everyone… and with a cast including Lisa Kudrow, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci, it’s easy to see why.

However, this is Emma Stone’s movie. You may remember her from Zombieland, Superbad or The House Bunny. She’s basically been called in as a Hollywood substitute for Lindsay Lohan, whose career could have been on track like Stone’s instead of in the gutter with trashy cameos in Machete. Both are of a similar age, both have a similar look and Stone is just making the grade both professionally and in the public eye. So it’s quite ironic that Easy A is about her playing a character, whose public behaviour is a lot like Lohan’s.

Easy A is a light high school comedy, buoyed by the quality of its ensemble and boosted by a story, which doesn’t simply function as a modern day Shakespeare or fairy tale knock-off with Amanda Bynes. Instead they’ve made her Olive’s main antagonist in a comical supporting role, which is unusual for the charming, confident and attractive lead actress. These are the little tweaks that make Easy A entertaining. It doesn’t quite hit the teen high school movie genre out of the park, but it’s guaranteed to make the little girl in every one of us… giggle, gush and then sigh. No, really.

The bottom line: Sharp.

Release Date: 14 January, 2011

Watch ‘Easy A’ Featurette

Book Tickets at Ster-Kinekor
Book Tickets at Nu Metro
Catch more movie reviews at SPL!NG