Some girls will go to the extreme or fake going to the extreme to gain popularity. This especially applies to Emma Stone’s latest completed work as Olive in Easy A. This is a romantic/comedy directed by Will Gluck about a California high school girl, Olive (Stone who’s works include Wichita in Zombieland-a great flick, and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) who finds her life starting to copycat a character in “The Scarlet Letter” which she so happens to be studying in school. In sweet, little, and innocent Olive’s case, she feeds on rumors of not being a virgin. No! Please tell me it isn’t so. Well, as the drama continues she decides to enhance those rumors by pretending to have sex with some students including one homosexual boy. This is actually pretty corny but somewhat funny as it takes place behind closed doors with an eavesdropping audience on the other side of the door.

Word gets out, just as she wishes it to, and pretty soon she has offers from different male class mates and money or gift cards are used as collateral is even offered and she seems to build a reputation on her promiscuity. But wait, this is exactly what she wants, in order to advance her popularity and financial standing among her friends. So she has to get laid or at least fake it. Ah, what does it take to be popular? Sex rules. I think I will try that sometime. I’d do it for a cold beer or maybe a Klondike bar even. No ATM visit required. The rumor mill finally reached the principal, played by Malcolm McDowell (1971-A Clockwork Orange) her teacher (Thomas Haden Church) and even the Guidance Counselor (Lisa Kudrow). Well, when you play you pay. Somebody contracts a STD and more rumors fly as the blame game begins. Even her best friend, played by Amanda Bynes, gets involved and helps fuel the fire. By the way all this is told via a live webcast from Olive’s laptop with quite a following. Now, speaking of Amanda Bynes, she is starting a real life rumor of her own stating “Easy A” is her last feature film. Will she go into retirement as so many threaten to, including rock bands (namely The Who), then make a hell of a comeback, or will she hustle to look at her bank account, consult with her agent and keep on working? My gift card is on the later.

The “Easy A” screening I attended catered to a younger female audience but think about it, they’re high school girls. I didn’t card anyone but I am thinking jail bait. The story is cute for young teens, has some laughs, carries a decent cast, young and old, but aside from that it is just out there somewhere in the rumor mill. Here’s the part I would normally encourage you to stick around for, the credits. However, as soon as they started to roll, the film abruptly ended. Normally in comedies such as this, there are out takes during or after the credits. Look for “Easy A” in theaters September 17, 2010. This is the same week as Ben Afflect’s crime caper “The Town” opens. So while chicks flock to see Emma Stone and Amanda Bynes in possibly her last film, cross on over to see Ben Afflect’s “The Town”, you can rest assured the dudes will be visiting “The Town”, or there is something wrong.

“Easy A” is rated PG-13, runs 90 minutes and is an easy 2 stars. And that’s not a rumor, that is fact.

By Hustlin’ Bob Higgins