Saturday, May 21, 2011
FEMALE TEEN ANGST
Today's movie was Will Gluck's
with Emma Stone. Who I saw in Zombieland. A star in this! She carries a film that doesn't really need carrying. It is that good. And this is about a girl! Not some horny guy. Boring after all those horny guy films.
A not-popular girl, she lies to her best friend about a weekend that didn't happen. A sex fantasy.
Overheard in the girls' room, of course, by a pious christian bitch (there is no ambiguity about this gang of christers) the word spreads quickly that she has given it up.
With a new reputation, she is approached by a gay boy who suffers daily bullying to pretend that she and he did it too. She agrees. New gays here. All positive. Very good messages about this.
Then it is only a next step to another, this time fat, boy asks her to lie again for pay and soon there is a line of them.
You can see where this is going. Let it be noted that their class is currently studying Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. She should stop digging but she does not.
I should mention that her parents are Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci. Not your stereotype teen movie parents. Wonderful. Delicious. There is a younger black adopted brother and a near Airedale family dog. There is a surprising Prince Charming, Penn Badgely, standing in the wings.
Malcolm McDowell is the school principal, Lisa Kudrow a counsellor and Thomas Haden Church, Kudrow's teacher husband.
I have a feeling that the sexual politics being played out are a little behind the times but they are still funny and apt and well played.
Watch the outtakes reel and stay for the ending titles.
I knew as I was watching that this entire movie was shot in Ojai California where they say it is right at the start. There is a city sign! I am also sure that the kids are real Ojai High School kids even though the stars are in their twenties and look it. Not a problem. Ojai is the quintessential California community and co-stars in the film. This is confirmed in the roll at the end.
Music. Great. This is a contemporary teen picture and there is no rap or hip hop music. Fantastic. Another retro thing. Good.
I would not mind seeing this again. It is a 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
