CRUELLA REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Cruella De Vil is one of the most memorable villains from a Disney animated film. She made her first appearance in One Hundred and One Dalmatians, which was released in 1961. She was evil because she wanted to make a coat out of puppies’ fur. In Disney’s 1996 live action remake, 101 Dalmatians, Cruella was portrayed by Glenn Close. Close captured Cruella’s fierce and eccentric personality and returned to the role in the 2000 sequel, 102 Dalmatians. Because Cruella is one of the most memorable villains, it’s easy to understand why a new live action film has recently been released that explores her life before she became obsessed with dalmatian fur.

Set during the 1970s punk rock revolution in London, the story follows a clever and creative young grifter named Estella (Emma Stone), who is determined to become a successful designer. After Estella befriends a pair of young thieves, Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser), who appreciate her appetite for mischief, the three build a life for themselves on the London streets. Before long, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute fashion legend (Emma Thompson). But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.

The strength of Cruella lies in the amusing performances delivered by both Stone and Thompson. The former delivers a fresh portrayal of Cruella. She captures both Estella’s kind and friendly personality and the wicked side of her alter ego, Cruella. Because Cruella is a villain, I think that a lot of people were worried that the film would redeem her and try and make her sympathetic. However, this isn’t the case with Cruella which shows both the dark and light sides of the eponymous character who is seen as a flawed individual. Although Cruella isn’t the most likeable of characters, she’s, by far, one of the most interesting villains and is brought to life through Stone’s performance. Another standout performance is delivered by Thompson who is a scene stealer as Cruella’s rival, the Baronness. Both Stone and Thompson are having a lot of fun portraying their characters and, as a result, I had a lot of fun watching them. Fry and Hauser are funny as Cruella’s side kicks, Jasper and Horace, who help her with her devious plans. Although Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Cruella’s childhood friend, Anita, and Mark Strong as the Baronness’ valet, John, deliver solid supporting roles, they are underused. I would have liked to seen more of the friendship between Cruella and Anita, who is a journalist and reports on Cruella’s increasing fame. The entirety of Cruella is worth watching just for Stone and Thompson’s performances.

Most of Disney’s recent live action films, including last year’s Mulan, Aladdin and The Lion King, have been been straightforward but unimaginative remakes of the original animated features. Fortunately, the same can’t be said about Cruella, which explores the background of one of the most memorable and interesting characters in all of Disney’s animated films. The screenplay is written by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara and is based on a story by Aline Brosh McKenna, Kelly Marcel and Steve Zissis and is filled with entertaining rivalry and fun twists. The majority of Cruella focuses on the back and forth rivalry between Cruella and the Baronness. The latter is the most famous fashion designer whose personality is very similar to that of Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly in the 2006 romantic comedy The Devil Wears Prada and is narcissistic and is rude to her staff. It’s easy to see how Estella becomes Cruella after she works for the Baronness. Estella wants more than anything to be a famous fashion designer and, after working for the Baronness, she quickly becomes Cruella and is soon stealing all of the attention with her outrageous and over the top costumes. What I liked most about Cruella’s story was that it features a clever twist involving both Cruella and the Baronness that I didn’t see coming. Because of this, it made the film all the more interesting. Although I’m one of the few people who enjoy Disney’s live action remakes, I can understand why a lot of people think they’re unnecessary. However, Cruella is one of their best live action films as it tells an original story.

Craig Gillespie previously directed I, Tonya which starred Margot Robbie as figure skater Tonya Harding who became involved in a controversial scandal. It was a highly entertaining film that showed another side to Tonya that a lot of people might not be familiar with. Harding wasn’t perfect by any means but she wasn’t as villainous as the media made her out to be. A similar comment can be made regarding Cruella who is seen as an antagonist in both the animated film and the live action feature. However, Cruella shows her early life and how she became the famous villain everyone knows her as. Gillespie is an ideal choice to direct and, with Cruella, he has created a widely entertaining film. 

Because Cruella is known for wanting to make a coat out of Dalmatian fur, a lot of people were concerned that Cruella would try and excuse her actions. However, the majority of the film focuses on the rivalry between Cruella and the Baronness. The former does briefly kidnap the latter’s three pet Dalmatians after one of them swallows a luxurious necklace that was lost by Cruella when she was a child and found by the Baronness. For those worried about what happens to the Dalmatians needn’t be as nothing bad happens to them. Cruella is a family friendly film so it’s highly unlikely that Disney would want to create a film where dogs are harmed. Cruella even has a pet dog of her own named Buddy, as does Horace whose dog is small and half blind and is named Winky. 

Because Cruella and the Baroness are talented and creative fashion designers, the costumes and clothes worn by them had to match their creativity. Fortunately, the costumes designed by Kelly Beavan are iconic. From Cruella’s white cape that transforms into a red dress after she lights it to the Baroness’ luxurious dresses, the costumes are the most impressive aspect of Cruella. I’ll be surprised if Beavan, who won an Oscar for her work on Mad Max: Fury Road, doesn’t receive a nomination for Best Costume at next year’s Academy Awards.

Cruella has been released in cinemas and also on the streaming service, Disney+, for an extra premier access fee of £20 ($30 in the United States). However, because I saw it at the cinema, I actually saved a lot of money. I think that Disney+'s premier access fee is quite expensive as most cinema tickets are about £10-12. Although I enjoyed Cruella, I don’t think it’s worth paying the access fee unless you really want to watch it and don't want to see it at the cinema.

Although I enjoyed Cruella, including the performances by Stone and Thompson and the rivalry between their characters, it’s not without its flaws. The soundtrack is filled with famous and catchy pop songs from the 1970s, including Blondie's One Way or Another, Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash and Nin Simone's Feeling Good, however, I found them too distracting from certain scenes. The opening scene, which focuses on Estella’s childhood and rebellious behaviour in school, is overlong. Fortunately, these flaws didn’t prevent me from finding Cruella to be entertaining and an interesting exploration of the story behind one of Disney’s most famous villains.

7/10

THE FAVOURITE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Recently, Greek director, Yorgos Lanthimos, has become a successful director in Hollywood and has become well-known for creating unique features that are both thought-provoking and compelling. After the releases of The Lobster in 2015 and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer in 2017, Lanthimos has deemed himself one of the most versatile directors. His latest feature, The Favourite, further establishes that.

In the early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail Masham (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen's companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

Prior to watching The Favourite, I hadn't seen any of Lanthimos' previous features so I had no idea what to expect, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. However, because of Lanthimos' unique filming style and the strong sexual content, I think that many viewers may put off watching this, however, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. While Lanthimos has become successful in Hollywood, the average viewer may not recognise him or be familiar with his previous features which is why I think The Favourite is worth a watch as it's original.

The strongest aspect of The Favourite is the performances of the three leading ladies, Colman, Stone and Weisz. While, ironically, it's difficult to have a favourite performance, I think that Colman was the most impressive as this was her first leading role in a feature film. Many audiences in the U.K. will know her from the several television series she has appeared in, including the gripping dark drama, ‘Broadchurch’ alongside David Tennant. She then made an appearance in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery novel, Murder On The Orient Express, as Hildegarde Schmidt, however, it was a small role with limited screen time. As Queen Anne, she gives her strongest performance yet and is currently nominated for a Golden Globe. Her portrayal of Queen Anne provides most of the laughs as she randomly shouts and cries. She even has several memorable lines of dialogue. I wouldn’t be surprised if Colman received her first Academy Award nomination. Stone’s filmography mainly consists of comedies, however, after appearing in Damien Chazelle’s musical, La La Land, she won her first Academy Award. In my opinion, she is yet to disappoint and that couldn’t be more true of her performance in The Favourite. In the beginning, her character, Abigail is a maid, however, she wins over Queen Anne and the two form a close bond, much to the annoyance of Lady Sarah. This leads to a rivalry between Abigail and Sarah as they each try to win over Queen Anne’s affections and become her ‘favourite’. As Lady Sarah, Weisz exudes a cool regality. Like Colman, both Stone and Weisz are nominated at the Golden Globes for their supporting roles. If it wasn’t for the performances given by its three leading ladies, The Favourite would be dull.

The majority of The Favourite focuses on the back-and-forth rivalry between Lady Sarah and Abigail as they each try to win over Queen Anne's affections. The feature also dabbles in Parliamentary politics, with Lady Sarah being known as a Whig sympathiser and Abigail favouring the Tories. Because of this, both characters have powerful allies. Sarah's husband, Lord Marlborough (Mark Gatiss), is the commander of British armies in the War of the Spanish Succession and the Earl of Godolphin (James Smith) is the Lord Treasurer. Abigail is backed by the most powerful Tories, including Robert Harley (Nicholas Hoult), Earl of Oxford. While the struggles between the Whigs and Tories are never too far in the background, The Favourite is at its best when it focuses on the moves and counter moves of Sarah and Abigail to retain the Queen's approval.

What I was most surprised to discover about The Favourite was how hard it was to take seriously. It can be described as a dark comedy with tongue in cheek humour. Most of the laughs come from memorable and witty pieces of dialogue and there are several amusing scenes. However, those going in expecting a laugh-a-minute comedy may be disappointed.

Most historical dramas can be boring and sometimes even a chore to watch, however, because of Lanthimos' unique directing style, there's never a dull moment in The Favourite. It handles the lesbian love triangle between Queen Anne, Lady Sarah and Abigail really well. Lanthimos stated that he wanted to treat his female characters as human beings and didn't want it to become an issue or make a big deal of it. He also elaborated on the positive effect the #MeToo movement had on the film and said that, because of the prevalent male gaze in cinema, women are portrayed as housewives, girlfriends and that his contribution was to try and show them as complex and wonderful and horrific as they are, like other human beings. I think he has succeeded as the three female characters are the most interesting individuals in The Favourite. Women have become stereotyped in many films to be the love interest for the main character and are, sometimes, seen as perfect, however, I find it refreshing when films capture a woman's imperfections and perceives them as human beings. This is true of The Favourite, as, while the female characters aren't likable, they are fun and interesting to watch.

The Favourite sees director Yorgos Lanthimos at his best yet and continues to establish himself as one of the most versatile directors. The strongest aspect of the film comes from the film's three leading ladies with each of them impressing in their roles.

8/10 

BATTLE OF THE SEXES REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women's movement, the 1973 tennismatch between women's World #1 Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men's-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as the 'Battle of the Sexes' and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world. As the rivalry between King and Riggs kicked into high gear, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. The fiercely private King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. And Riggs, one of the first self-made media-age celebrities, wrestled with his gambling demons, at the expense of his family and wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions in bedrooms and boardrooms that continue to reverberate today.

Battle of the Sexes comes from the married filmmaking duo Jonathan Dayton and Valeria Faris who are best known for directing the heartwarming drama, Little Miss Sunshine, which also starred Carell. The pair are known for creating a drama that can be entertaining by adding small bouts of comic relief throughout, however, it still has an emotional touch. The same can be said for Battle of the Sexes. Its tone is lighthearted and is an easy watch. The issues featured, including sexism, are handled with deft assurance. Women's liberation, sexual freedom, equal pay for equal work are all themes that feature heavily within the film. Battle Of The Sexes opens with King demanding why the prize money is eight times less than it is for men to which former tennis player turned advocate, Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman), replies 'it's important that the men get more money' which doesn't make sense. There's a fine line between preaching the gospel and dictating it, however, Dayton and Faris use humour and whimsy like a balm to sooth the serious scenes. Of course, the pair want to send out messages that hit home. They show the characters and their flaws with an even hand. It's the definition of comedy and drama.

The actors are all well chosen, especially Stone and Carell, who, by changing their appearances, resemble the characters they're playing. Stone, in particular, stood out as Billie Jean King as she captures all of her mannerisms and embodies her passion for tennis. However, she soon develops a relationship with her hairdresser, Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough) that she has to hide otherwise it could jeopardise her career. Although she never comes out in the film, at the age of 73, she is now open and honest about her sexuality and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. The real King was impressed with Stone's portrayal of her and said that she managed to capture her fierce determination to prove that women deserve equal rights. The relationship with Marilyn is effectively shown and both Stone and Riseborough share a lot of chemistry. Despite the love she has for her female partner, King felt conflicted as she was still married to Larry (Austin Stowell). Despite knowing her affair with Marilyn, Larry remained faithful and supportive of Billie throughout her career. I wouldn't be surprised to see Stone, who earlier this year won her first Academy Award for her performance in La La Land, nominated for an Oscar next year.

Carell's portrayal of Riggs proved to be a challenge, due to the former champions player dying in 1995. His portrayal is similar to that of the Riggs that was shown in the media, a 'male chauvinist pig' as he described himself. While Carell, unsurprisingly, brings comic relief to the role, Riggs is seen as more as an antagonist because of his many sexist remarks. Despite Carell giving one of his best performances yet, Riggs is seen as a caricature. King, on the other hand, is shown as a genuine human being. I think this is due to the writing from Simon Beaufoy. He may have failed at making Riggs a likable character, however, he has written an engaging film that avoids the pitfalls of simplicity. The build up to the big match between King and Riggs is viewed with a wide perspective.

Battle of the Sexes captures the 70s really well through the clothing the characters all wear, the setting and the music. It really made me feel like I was experiencing the 70s, not just seeing it. I think a lot of people who grew up in this era will feel a sense of nostalgia. 

All of the drama involving the character's public and personal lives all leads up to the big tennis match that takes place at the end of the film. Of course, because of the way the characters are portrayed, we want King to win, mainly so that she can finally prove that women are worthy of their rights. For those, like me, who hadn't seen the original match from 1973, will find this scene very intense as I had no idea what the outcome was going to be. Fortunately, the end result was powerful and uplifting.

Overall, Battle of the Sexes is a well-made biopic as it recaptures the titular tennis match really well and it represented Billie Jean King's character in an effective way, making us feel for her. It also shows how hard women had to work to prove themselves worthy and is an important film that needs to be seen, especially by those who still think women don't deserve equal rights.

8/10

LA LA LAND REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

If I could sum up director Damien Chazelle's latest film, La La Land, in one word, it would be 'wow'. 

Chazelle's previous film, Whiplash, was released in 2014 and was nominated for a total of five Academy Awards including 'Best Motion Picture' and 'Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay'. J.K. Simmons was the winner of the 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role'. Safe to say, after Whiplash's success, there were high expectations for his next film which is a original musical that he first wrote in 2010 during a period in his life when the movie industry seemed out of reach for him. Unfortunately, creating a musical into a feature film was easier said than done so Chazelle focused on Whiplash. After Whiplash's success, he became 100% committed to creating his first musical. With Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as the two leads, is La La Land just as successful as Whiplash?

La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.

In answer to my earlier question, yes, La La Land is just as successful as Whiplash, maybe even more, in terms of storytelling, acting and creating an engaging motion picture. In its 128 runtime, La La Land never fails to be anything other than fresh, fun and a true cinematic masterpiece. 

In my 19 years, I've only seen a few musicals in cinemas including Hairspray in 2007, Mamma Mia! in 2008, Les Miserables in 2012 and Into The Woods in 2015. Three of those films are based on either West End or Broadway musicals and are strong adaptations. However, despite being very good films, I have to say that La La Land is the best musical I've ever watched on the big screen.

Of course, to create a successful musical, you need songs that'll audiences will be singing as they leave the theatre. The majority of songs are written by Pasek and Paul (real names Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and, fortunately, the two have succeeded in writing songs that are perfect for Chazelle's musical. The opening song, Another Day Of Sun, is sung by a group of people who, after being stuck in a traffic jam, all leave their cars and dance. This is one of the best opening sequences I've seen in any movie as the camera doesn't cut and flourishes between the dancers. It's an optimistic song about unfulfilled dreams and a great way to open the film. The two other stand out songs are City Of Stars which is sung by Gosling and Audition (The Fools Who Dream) which is sung by Stone. Both are moving songs sung with honest emotion by the two leads. 

Speaking of which, the two leads are one of the best things about this film other than the songs. The film focused on Mia and Sebastian who, after meeting in the winter and then again in the spring, develop feelings for each other. Chazelle originally thought of Miles Teller (who was the lead in Whiplash) and Emma Watson for the roles, unfortunately, Watson couldn't commit due to scheduling issues she had with the live-action adaptation of Beauty And The Beast and Teller was dropped in favour of Gosling. Stone was later cast and Chazelle stated that the two were the closest thing 'that we have right now to an old Hollywood couple'. Coincidentally, this is the third film Gosling and Stone have worked together after appearing as love interests in the 2011 romantic comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love and in the 2013 thriller, Gangster Squad. After watching Crazy, Stupid, Love, I knew that both Stone and Gosling were the perfect choice for Mia and Sebastian. Stone has come a long way since appearing in her 2010 breakthrough comedy, Easy A, which got Emma her first Golden Globe nomination. She was nominated for her first Academy Award for her role as Sam in Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) in 2015. This role further proves why she's one of the most talented actresses working today. Gosling has also come a long way since appearing in romantic drama, The Notebook, in 2004 and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Half Nelson in 2007. Because Sebastian is a jazz pianist, Gosling practiced playing the piano and the end result is really impressive.

At time of writing this, La La Land has won seven awards at the Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical, two Best Performances awards for both Gosling and Stone and Best Director for Chazelle. Because of its seven wins, La La Land broke the record for most Golden Globes nominated for one film. It's an incredible achievement and another reason why this film is worth watching.

This is one of those films that, not only gives its viewer an optimistic outlook, but inspires them to follow their dream. John Legend makes an appearance in the film as Sebastian's friend, Keith, and his piece of dialogue where he speaks to Sebastian about being a revolutionary will provoke thoughts in many viewer's minds.

Overall, with Damien Chazelle's thrillingly assured direction and powerful performances from both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land is an unmissable cinematic masterpiece that'll leave you feeling uplifted and wanting to follow your dreams.

9/10

ZOMBIELAND REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2004, Simon Pegg and director Edgar Write successfully combined comedy with horror and created Shaun of the Dead. Now, here is America's answer to that combination: Zombieland. 

Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is a shy, lonely student trying to make his way through a sudden zombie apocalypse by sticking to his thirty rules (one of them being "avoid public restrooms"). He is on his way to Ohio when he meets Tallahasse (Woody Harrelson), a man obsessed with finding a Twinkie to satisfy his sugar cravings. On their journey, they encounter Wichita (Emma Stone) and her younger sister, Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who have survived the apocalypse by acting as con-artists. The four all have different journeys but will they reach their destination through the zombie attacks?

The only similarity that Zombieland has with Shaun of the Dead is that they're both horrors mixed with comedies and feature zombies as the main antagonists. Everything else is different including the characters and story. 

The film features strong comedic performances from the whole cast including Jesse Eisenberg, who plays the main protagonist, Columbus who, by using narration and a flashback sequence, tells us his backstory. He was at home when his crush rushes into his house and tells him that her boyfriend just tried to bite her. To Columbus' horror, she soon becomes a zombie and tries to eat him. Fortunately, he escapes and since then he has come up with his own rules to survive. This is what makes him a likable character as he's both smart and brave. He is also witty and isn't short of a sarcastic coment. Woody Harrelson is brilliant as Tallahasse, the Twinkie-obsessed guy who isn't afraid to shoot a zombie or bash their head with a bango. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin both give great performances as the two sisters who are conning their way through the apocalypse. The four work have chemistry together and soon develop a bond that'll hopefully help them survive the zombies. 

This film is also best known for featuring one of the best cameos and that's from comedy legend, Bill Murray, who appears in the film as himself when the four stop at his house. Murray fans will be in stitches during his scene.

In my opinion, this film is worth watching just for Murray's cameo and the finale which is set in a theme park. Both Witchita and Little Rock have arrived at a theme park only for it to be infested with zombies. They manage to escape but are trapped on one of the rides and must rely on a limited number of bullets in their guns and Columbus and Tallahasse to rescue them. Fortunately, the pair turn up, ready to fight the walking dead. It's this finale that features one of my favourite sequences, which is when Tallahasse rides a rollercoaster whilst shooting zombies, as it shows how unafraid he is of the zombies and is really funny.

Personally, I'm not a fan of violence or gore but, fortunately, they're both kept to a minimum and, like in Shaun Of The Dead, are used for slapstick comedy purposes. 

The director, Ruben Fleischer, obviously didn't want to scare people and wanted to viewers to be entertained throughout the film and he succeeds. All four actors give some of their best performances in this film.

If you love Shaun Of The Dead and are a fan of the featured actors, I definitely recommend this film.

7/10

EASY A REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

How many of us have lied in order to feel accepted by society? I'm guessing a lot and that is the basis for this comedy.
Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) is just average high school student. She has one friend, Rhiannon (Aly Michalka) and has good grades. However, all that soon changes after Olive tells a little white lie to Rhiannon about losing her virginty. Unfortunately, that lie soon spreads throughout the whole school and Olive is suddenly the centre of attention and, instead of hiding away, she changes her identity and embraces who she is despite being called several different names by various students. This film perfectly shows what it's like to have your reputation ruined by telling a lie. It also shows one of the hardest parts of life: high school. You've just left your childhood behind and are now going through puberty. Everyone is coming to terms with who they are and understanding different aspects of life. One of the hardest things to deal with during your teenage years is sexuality. You are beginning to develop feelings for other people. For some, sexuality can be a way of becoming popular and that's what happens to Olive. In the beginning, she blends in, just like anyone else, but when Olive's lie gets out, she stands out from the whole crowd.
Most protagonists in romantic comedies are shown from a third person point of view. We watch what happens to them but we never truly know what they're thinking or feeling. In Easy A, we get to hear what Olive thinks as she tells us her story through a webcam and by introducing each chapter in her own unique way. That was one of my favourite things about this film.
Stone makes Olive a likable protagonist. She brings charm, confidence and humour to the role. I can't imagine Olive being portrayed by anyone else. Even if you're not a fan of romance or comedies, Easy A is worth watching for Stone's performance and her witty one liners.
Of course, it wouldn't be a romantic comedy without a potential love interest and that comes in the form of Todd (Penn Badgely) who is Olive's old crush and is also one of her supporters as he doesn't believe all the rumours that have been spread about her. The two have great chemistry which is important for creating a successful romantic comedy.
There is also another likable character and that's Brandon (Dan Byrd), Olive's friend, who is secretly gay and has only told her about his sexuality. The two have one of the funniest scenes in the film which involves them pretending to have sex with each other at a party in order for Brandon to be accepted by everyone.
This is the perfect film for anyone who has had to lie about who they are as a way of being accepted by others. Easy A shows that it doesn't matter what others think about you, it's what you think about yourself that really matters.
7/10