The Shark Tank

Rating: 6/10 (17 December 2010)

Emma Stone ("Superbad", "Zombieland") helps reinvent the classic 80s teen movie revolution with her Golden Globe nominated portrayal of Olive in the Critic's Choice nominated Best Comedy "Easy A". Director John Hughes's films ("The Breakfast Club", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off") had a big influence on this film. Will Gluck ("Fired Up") directed the film creating a modern comedy version of Hester Prynne's "The Scarlet Letter" that rightfully takes place in a high school setting. Emma Stone's character Olive is just another normal teenaged girl trying to live through high school. She is really close to and open with her parents Dill (Stanley Tucci) and Rosemary (Patricia Clarkson). Her best friend is a blonde bombshell that is way more popular than her and her best guy friend, Brandon, is gay. Olive narrates the story while breaking it up into different parts and making a video. Her narration begins when Rhiannon asks Olive to go camping with her and her family for the weekend Olive lies to her saying that she has a hot date with a college guy that weekend to avoid going with Rhi and her eccentric parents. In actuality Olive just has a relaxing normal weekend at her house. However, on Monday when Rhi asks her about her weekend while in the bathroom, Olive says that she had sex with the guy. Their conversation is overheard by the die-hard Christian of the school Marianne (Amanda Bynes) who spreads the rumor throughout the school. Within the hour Olive was no longer just another student, she was known as the slut of the school. Why did she do it? The story begins to parallel The Scarlett Letter as they are reading it in her favorite teacher MR. Griffith's class. Olive begins doing favors for guys saying that she has slept with them to increase their public image. This ultimately leads her to wear an A on her wardrobe to represent adulterer just like in "The Scarlett Letter".
"Easy A" is all about Emma Stone. She has always been a very good actress and has stood out in all of the films she has been in ("Superbad", "The House Bunny", "Zombieland"), but they didn't allow her to be a star until now. This is her first leading role as an actress and she nailed it, rightfully deserving her present award nominations. She has shown that she is going to be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. She helps the film stay original and get back to the roots of the 80s teen movie revolution also adding to the film a lot. The incorporation of the famous fist pump scene from "The Breakfast Club" and the song "Don't You, Forget About Me" helps create the echos of the rebirth of the 80s in the film. And oh yeah Stanley Tucci is amazing. Enough said.
Unlike the 80s teenage revolution films like "The Breakfast Club", the ending of "Easy A" is very predictable. The film itself is actually kind of original, but most things in the film can be seen coming. Also, Amanda Bynes did not seem like the best casting choice for the film. She has her hair bleached blonde for her die-hard Christian role of Marriane that just does not look very good on her. Her acting is also very fake and bad at times. She has to cry in a couple of scenes and it could not have been less believable.
Rated one of the best comedies of the year "Easy A" shows how stupid high school really was. People felt like they had to become someone that they weren't because of the stupid teenage social hierarchy. Emma Stone shows us how her character Olive tried to break the system, but high school is a shark tank and they will eat you alive. Wait for DVD if you are going to see the film and go rent or buy "The Breakfast Club" now!