My So-Called Sex Life

DVD Review: EASY A

15 – 92mins – 2010
Written by: Burt V. Royal
Directed by: Will Gluck
Starring: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church , Patricia Clarkson, Cam Gigandet, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci, Alyson Michalka, Malcolm McDowell
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The old school alumni chillax in the courtyard with the new school freshers and the pair have a blast in this refreshingly self-aware teen comedy which openly pays homage to the classic John Hughes comedies of the 1980s (The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), infusing the retro references with the smart-mouthed indie cool of more contemporary gems such as Clueless and Juno.

Inspired by the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, Will Gluck's Easy A sees respectable-but-invisible high schooler Olive Penderghast (Stone) become the talk of the campus as a little white lie about losing her virginity spirals into a bogus reputation as a “dirty skank” – a reputation which Olive chooses to shamelessly embrace by stitching cloth “A”s onto all her clothes (akin to the acknowledgment of adultery in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s opus).

As her best friend (Alyson Michalka), fanatical chastity groups and teachers turn against her, Olive soon realises that her social experiment of not having sex but saying you are has its drawbacks – namely, she’s not actually getting any sex! And so Olive takes to her web cam (how very twenty first century!) to confess her sins and win back the respect she has spurned, and the affection of the one guy she really does want to wear an “A” for, Todd (Penn Badgley).

Undeniably it is the fabulous characters who make what could have been a crude, offensive film into a pocketful of sunshine. Superbad and The House Bunny’s red head Emma Stone is a fiery revelation of hip confidence in her first lead role as the candidly intellectual Olive; she’s peppy, witty and banters hilariously with her “clued in” parents – Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci – and favourite teacher, the nonchalant Mr Griffith (Thomas Haden Church).

Praise must be paid to writer Burt V. Royal for the zippy dialogue and abundance of cliché-averting winks and nods, making what could have been a lazy, piggybacking succession of riffs into a smart and original gem. Even a climatic pep rally musical number doesn’t feel gauche in the candidly inspired and unreservedly modern context; after all, what would Ferris do?


In a CR@B Shell: Stone shines in this admirably sharp addition to the teen comedy genre. Easy A knows what it is and thrives amongst its classmates, working hard to garner an honourable rep standing atop its peer’s lofty shoulders (boombox aloft, natch) without sulking in the shadow of their acclaim.
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Drunken Donation

Cine Review EXCLUSIVE: THE SWITCH
12A – 101mins – 2010
Written by: Allan Loeb
Based on the short story “Baster” by: Jeffrey Eugenidas
Directed by: Will Speck and Josh Gordon
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Juliette Lewis, Jeff Goldblum, Thomas Robinson
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Not usually the kind of film I would dash to see on the big screen, but a friend of mine bagged two tickets to a preview screening of The Switch last weekend, and with Total Film and Empire both yet to publish their reviews, I couldn't pass up a CR@B Shack exclusive (or a free VIP cinema ticket).

From the producers of Juno and Little Miss Sunshine and the directing duo behind Blades of Glory, it's no surprise that the promoters took the indie route when hyping up this comedy-drama on artificial insemination (working title The Baster). But fear not all ye prudes, this is no crude, sex-juice-centric, low brow gag-athon, but a more mature and gently charming “dramedy” on the values of friendship and grabbing life with both hands. Pardon the pun.

Jennifer Aniston plays 40-something New York singleton Kassie Larson, who makes the rather modern decision that she doesn't need a man to have a child – just a turkey baster full of sperm from a willing donor. Girl Power! However, her neurotic and risk-adverse former flame turned “BFF” – yes, they actually use that term in the film – Wally Mars (Jason Bateman) is less impressed with her self-sufficient decision, and drunkenly decides to swap the donor's white stuff for his own. As you do.

Seven repressed years later, and following a spell in Minnesota, single mother Kassie moves back to the Big Apple with the apple of her eye, son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), who quickly strikes up a report with Wally, forcing the responsibility shy adult to face up to the truth of his ill advised secret donation – but how can he break the life-changing news to Kassie?

The outcome is painfully obvious from the very beginning, but it is the performances which elevate The Switch above rom-com mundanity. Aniston plays Aniston, while Jason Bateman is as likeable as ever as erratic, sweater-wearing Wally, who makes the biggest emotional journey. Juliette Lewis and Jeff “Ian Malcolm!!” Goldblum both sparkle as the respective lead's peppy friends, while Patrick Wilson plays supposed donor Roland as smug, without being stereotypically deplorable.

The real star of the show, however, is little Thomas Robinson. Frail yet eccentrically independent (he collects picture frames but prefers to leave the stock photo on display), parents everywhere will find it hard to resist Sebastian's wide-eyed cuteness and delicate nature.


CR@B Verdict: A predictably routine rom-com plot is fertilized with a trendy 21st century concept(ion) and some charming performances. The Switch is hardly a cinematic breakthrough, but it's not a total baste of time.
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