The Film
John Hughes really was beloved for his various teen comedies, and while this reviewer - who grew up pretty much with the characters of Sixteen Candles and Some Kind of Wonderful - enjoyed those films, I found them sort of clichéd. For one thing I wondered - are these teens so absorbed with their social lives that they aren't concerned with things like studying, actually going to class or worrying about the future beyond the third act?
The same thought occurred over and over again while watching Easy A, which takes a twist on "The Scarlet Letter" - and it is a big twist. Here there is no "sin" beyond a lie that turns into a bigger lie that leads to a big mess. It starts when Olive (Emma Stone) lies about a date over a weekend (which never occurred), which quickly turns into her losing her virginity in the process. Somehow she earns a bad reputation and yet instead of denying it, embraces it. But, isn't it the new millennium when talk shows talk about teen pregnancy, and there are reports that teens are more sexually active than ever? So what make believe throwback to the 1950s does this movie take place in, and more importantly do these students ever go to class? By the third act Easy A is reduced to a writer's fantasy about a world that never occurred. It is almost, but not quite, like a film John Hughes might have made if he had kept making those films.
For another score on Easy A, check out Joe Lozito's review.
The Picture
From the bright red scarlet letter that Olive wears to the green of the trees the film does look like it is set in a fantasy world of perfectly tweaked colors, mostly attractive characters and nearly perfect skin. The Blu-ray's 1080p 1.85:1 presentation is clear of any visual distractions, with just a hint of softness in some of the outdoor scenes.
The Sound
The film takes a cue from the works of John Hughes and the various imitators - not only in story and gags - but in terms of loading the soundtrack with catchy songs. The film remains mostly dialog heavy, which is quite clear. The film lacks any notable use of ambient sounds, so this is far from one to show off a multi-channel system but the 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack makes it all come together.
The Extras
The studio pulled out all stops with this one, offering a gag reel (which wasn't all that funny), Emma Stone's audition reel (which proves she might look a tad bit like Lindsay Lohan but probably has a brighter future) and commentary from director Will Gluck and Stone (which also backs up my former statement about her career hopes). The Blu-ray further has a featurette that looks at the movies of the 80s, a "Vocabulary of Hilarity" featurette, a pop-up trivia track and a making-of feature. The disc further includes movieIQ+sync and is BD Live-enhanced.
Final Thoughts
Easy A at times seems pretty risqué for a PG-13 film, far more so than say Clueless or Mean Girls, yet is far tamer than American Pie or Super Bad, the latter starred Stone. As a result it doesn't quite go far enough at times and all too "easily" concludes with a neat Hughes style ending.
Product Details
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