fuldamobil

The problem with this film is that it tries so hard to make every scene precious that it never adds up to anything. "I laughed, I cried" is the clichéd response a good romantic comedy is looking for, but it can't aim for that every second. You can feel the James L. Brooks telegraphing everything. He used to pull this stuff off effortlessly early in his career with films like Broadcast News and Terms of Endearment, both of which do flirt with melodrama at times, but lately his work feels tired. He's going for a home run with every speech, sad look, close up of an important prop; it really gets on your nerves. He had all the ingredients here, he just laid them on too thick. Nothing is believable, especially the constantly befuddling on again off again relationship between Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson. He's such a cad, I don't know why she'd spend more than 10 minutes with him. And, Paul Rudd's character is such a weak puppy dog, I think she'd feel more pity than charmed. A total mess.

I was really disappointed in this film. I loved Emma Stone in Superbad and Zombieland. She has a really nice, relaxed presence that is well suited to a smart teen comedy. Unfortunately, Easy A leaves out the smart although I feel like it thinks it has something to say. And, that's the big problem. The movie is about big issues especially for teenagers: promiscuity, the power of rumors and reputations, std's. But, its only point of view is that these things are bad. There's very little depth here. I don't think any character, especially Olive, learns a lesson they didn't already know. The antagonists, a group of chaste Bible thumpers led by Amanda Bynes, are one-dimensional caricatures. (It doesn't help that Bynes's hemline is higher than a pole dancer's.) And, the protagonists are basically all the same sardonic quipping, impossibly understanding people. This is where all the supposed comedy comes from; witty remarks and pseudo-intellectual playful conversations like the writer had just watched a Gilmore Girls box set. The best comedies have humorous situations as well as funny dialog. Easy A has neither.

This is a totally enjoyable film for people of all ages from the

creators of the brilliant Adventures of Pete and Pete. The writers

have a great sense of childhood and write with a sense of

nostalgia that gives the film its broad appeal. It follows the same

formula of their show with a pair of quirky siblings and narration

supplied by the older brother. I like the device of the film taking

place over one eventful day. All the young actors are wonderful and

feel like real kids and Chevy Chase and Chris Elliott are quite

funny. Also some cool cameos.