In light of National Self-Care Awareness Month starting today (September 1st, 2021), it felt only right to highlight the wonderful movie that is Easy A, with Emma Stone in the lead role.
Emma Stone as Olive in Easy A / Picture Credit: Screen Gems
Self-love is so important, especially in times or crisis or difficulty; and Easy A is the perfect film to demonstrate this.
The movie follows Olive (Stone), a high school girl who isn’t really on the map; no one knows who she is, and she seems fine with it. However, when she skips a weekend away with her friend Rhiannon (Aly Michalka), her best friend wants to know why.
After Rhiannon’s insistence that Olive had sex instead of coming on the trip with her, Olive simply agrees in order for her to just stop implying it; little did they know that Marianne (Amanda Bynes) heard everything.
Soon after, Olive’s supposed story of losing her virginity has spread through the school, and her life becomes less enjoyable each day.
Olive, after being asked by her gay friend Brandon (Dan Byrd), pretends to sleep with him in order for the bullies to leave him alone; word gets out about what she did, and now boys are paying her to help them like she helped Brandon.
For the rest of the movie, Olive feels rather alone. Rhiannon has turned against her, all the boys see her as a slut and the girls see her as a whore; she forgets how to treat herself kindly, because everyone else has.
This movie is a genuinely wonderful one, as Olive begins to realise that she is more than people say she is, and she is her own person; but she decides that if people see her as a slut, she is going to dress and act like top dog.
Easy A shows how cruel people can be, and how tough high school can be for many people, especially when you’re at the centre of attention in the worst way.
One of the most endearing parts about this movie, however, is Olive’s parents. They are a shining example of how to deal with a teenager going through a rough time; let them know they are loved and cared for, but also let them feel their anger and find their own way to cope.
Her parents are so in love and adore their daughter; their hilarious stories and wholesome ways of helping Olive through her crisis is wonderful, and shows that even in hard times there is always someone you can turn to.
With this in mind, it has to be said that Olive is an amazing female lead; she feels sadness like we all do, but she leans into the image everyone has of her and makes the best of it. Despite her best friend, and most of the school, being against her, Olive still pushes through and demands to be heard.
If anything, the circumstances make her stronger and allows her to realise that she doesn’t actually care what people think; she knows the truth and if no one believes her, they’re the fools.
Easy A’s comedy is also perfect; Olive stands up for herself in the most comical ways, and simply has the best humour. Stone was the perfect choice to play Olive as her positivity and bright personality comes through in her character.
What this movie really does, is prove that self-love is important. Olive’s classmates and so-called friends may not be on her side, but she backs her own corner and it is so inspirational to see.
Olive is strong-willed and smart, and knows who she is, despite the bullying, harassment, and men looking at her like an object. She learns throughout this ordeal that if she cares about herself and leans into her feisty side, that no one can bring her down.
We see the story through her eyes as she annotates previous events, and it seems we see the real Olive; a girl torn down by her peers, only to remain standing, perhaps taller than before. She does wonder though, if any guys take her seriously... until Todd (Penn Badgley).
This movie is definitely a must-watch, as while topics such as sex and virginity are serious and personal, Easy A makes it a public affair, and also finds the perfect match of stern moments and hilarity.
Easy A is the perfect movie; Stone nails her role, the story is perfectly paced and written, we see a girl go through turmoil only to come out stronger, and we witness the importance of loving yourself and understanding who you really are.
Watch the trailer for Easy A below!
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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Tagged in Emma Stone