It’s about time that Easy A got the same attention as Clueless, Mean Girls and 10 Things I Hate About You as a brilliant teen comedy. Loosely based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, it shows the consequences of vicious high school rumours and the immense pressure upon teenage girls who are damned to judgement no matter how they behave. As protagonist Olive tangles herself in a web of lies, the way that she adapts to her new “dirty skank” reputation is both charming and hilarious. It’s no surprise that this was Emma Stone‘s real breakout role, setting up her critical success since then.
Elsewhere in the cast list you find Penn Badgley – before he was stalking people on You – as well as Amanda Bynes, Lisa Kudrow and Aly Michalka of Aly & AJ fame. Truly, 2010 was a great time to be alive.
On its tenth birthday, Easy A still stands up to the test of time. So give it a watch, and let Olive Penderghast inspire you to cut up your clothes while listening to ‘Bad Reputation’. I promise you need it as much now as you did ten years ago.
Watch the trailer for Easy A below:
