Today, there’s a litany of teen rom-coms that try to mine the references and strengths of their predecessors, but the 2010 movieEasy Adoes it better than any of them. Inspired by a classic novel that’s anything but a romantic comedy, Nathaniel Hawthorne’sThe Scarlet Letter,Easy Ais a refreshing take on coming-of-agethat treats early explorations of sexuality as something young people shouldn’t be afraid of. Even by today’s standards,Easy Ais sharp and poignant, more progressive in some ways than the raunchier comedies of its own era.
While the writing and storytelling are the foundation of the movie’s success, it’s Emma Stone’s Olive that sets the film apart from the typical genre fare. In the years sinceEasy Awas released, Stone has won two Oscars and starred in some of the best movies of the 21st century, and the writing was on the wall, even in this light-hearted rom-com. Premiering just a few years after Stone’s breakout performance inSuperbad,Easy Awould still be fun without her, butthe actress’s star power pours out of every frame, taking it to another level.
Easy A Hides A Deep Emotional Message Underneath Its Sharp Story
The Movie Doesn’t Sacrifice Character For Comedy
Though Stone is the beating heart ofEasy A, the entire ensemble gives their all to the project.With a young Penn Badgley, Stanley Tucci, and Lisa Kudrow all featured,the movie takes place in a lived-in world. We might not all have grown up in a land as idyllic as Ojai, California, but the pitfalls and devastations of adolescence are plenty familiar. The characters behave badly, teens and adults alike, allowing them to become real, three-dimensional characters who make the heightened world ofEasy Acompelling.
It’s simple to look back onEasy Awith knowing eyes and see all the ways it became such a massive success, and why its cast has only become more famous. The story never had to be anything more than a playful diversion and interesting twist on classic literature, but the film pushes itself to be much more. From the first moments of the story, we get an immediate picture of the narrative and Olive’s place in it. Not only that, butwe see a world that’s going to be fun to spend time in,even when things are difficult.
Even when she’s wrong, Olive is undeniably likable and we feel for her deeply.
The many John Hughes references and homages to classic rom-coms could easily have turned the corner in the story. They could’ve lost their nostalgia and tongue-in-cheek appeal to become trite, but this doesn’t happen.Anchored by Olive’s witty commentary and the emotionally resonant message,the sillier aspects ofEasy Around out a story that could have gone in a much darker direction. For all the romantic moments and montages set to Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine,“Easy Aisn’t thin on character or plot. Even its slight over-reliance on ’80s movie allusions can’t undermine this.
Though a comedy through and through,Easy Ahas real stakes and sees Olive brought low by both her choicesand the actions of others. Even when she’s wrong, Olive is undeniably likable and we feel for her deeply, as we all know what it’s like to be plagued by a rumor or reputation that doesn’t ring true. While we hope the narrative ofEasy Ais pure fiction, it’s effective because Olive’s story is a viscerally real take on the universal feelings of being misunderstood in high school.
The Teen Comedies Of Today Could Learn A Lot From Easy A
Over 15 Years Later, Easy A Has Retained Its Quality
IsEasy Aperfect? Of course not. There are dated elements and plenty of goofy moments that stick out as of their time, but no movie is immune to this. In fact, when comparingEasy Ato the teen comedies released today, it’s only more obvious what a massive step back cinema has taken when it comes to honestly talking about this stage of life.Easy Ais fun and over-the-top, but never unreasonably so,and Olive is an active character who refuses to let anyone be put down for their choices and the ways they move through the world.
It’s true that the era of the late 2000s/early 2010s was uniquely suited to churning out great teen comedies. Social media and non-stop phone use weren’t rampant yet, and there was still a sense of promise of all the 21st century might turn out to be. This isn’t to sayEasy Adoesn’t have its fair share of cynicism and disillusionment, but at its core, it’s a hopeful movie that concludes with the happily-ever-after audiences were hoping for.Easy Arests on the shoulders of the great teen rom-coms that came before, but it doesn’t struggle to pay its dues.
Easy A
Cast
Inspired by The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Easy A stars Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast, a young high school student who suddenly finds herself in the middle of a rumor mill when a lie she tells her best friend about losing her virginity spirals out of control. Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, and Stanley Tucci are part of the supporting cast.
