Dir: Will Gluck / Writer: Bert V. Royal/ Cinematography: Michael Grady
Olive gets ready to rumble (image: Vince Viloria FlickrCC)
Emma Stone takes over the teen star crown in this witty coming-of-age teen comedy that borrows as much from indie flicks Juno and Superbad as it does from other genre-leading high-school movies like Clueless and Mean Girls.
Olive is brainy, eccentric and opinionated which puts her firmly into high school’s bargain bucket of undesirables so when she’s asked to help someone out by pretending she’s had sex with them she sees it as a win win situation. Do a favour, earn some street cred. But soon every dorky guy in school sees her as a way to raise their social capital and, while theirs is boosted by the supposed bedpost notch, her reputation goes through the floor. Deciding to own her battered rep, and act like the slut she’s been made out to be, Olive walks tall and dresses low. But the situation rapidly spirals out of control.
A clever, sparky, script – which hauls the themes from The Scarlet Letter into the 21st century – is performed with verve and impeccable comic timing by the husky-voiced, star-in-waiting Ms Stone. Strong support comes from Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow as Olive’s amusingly self-absorbed, over-sharing and waaay too liberal parents with Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci and Malcolm McDowell rounding out the classy cast. Penn Badgley and Amanda Bynes are the teen draw.
Great fun.
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