"Easy A"

If this film is any indication of the actual attitudes in High School these days, I shudder to think how painful it must be for students living through it! As a cautionary tale of the devastating effects of gossip, "Easy A" is a marvelous presentation. Emma Stone shines playing Olive, falsely labeled, due to a rumor that she herself inadvertently started -- about her indiscretion (to put it delicately). (You may remember the famous novel, The Scarlet Letter, in which the "A" was earned and worn in shame by the unfortunate heroine, Hester Prinne.) I found the dialogue engaging, and the photography cleverly supported the premise of gossip spreading like wildfire. Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as Olive's parents couldn't be better, and Thomas Hayden Church is believable as a favorite teacher. I was less enthusiastic about Lisa Kudrow as the school Counselor and Malcolm McDowell seemed a bit excessive (purposely?) as a stereotypical bullying Principal. Overall, however, I liked this film so much that I'm giving it FOUR STARS. It's really worth seeing, and not just for teens. Adults may actually appreciate it more than kids in the audience. "I'm so glad I'm not young anymore!!" SP