The Genius of Easy A

[@princessleia9735]

My favorite Stanley Tucci line is *slaps table* “who told you?!” When her brother says he’s adopted 😂

[@WaaDoku]

He has some great lines in that movie. Absolutely hilarious character

[@iantan6056]

i shat my pants hearing him say that lmao

[@fntthesmth423]

I haven't seen Easy A in several years, and I do not recall this particular moment. Even so, I guffawed at reading your simple description--it's such a PERFECT representation of familiarity and love through silliness oh my fucking god

[@nayOnm620]

It's "So where are you from originally?" For me 😂😂😂

[@Gwendoline666]

That whole scene with the family is just gold 😂

[@thislycantomboy7087]

this movie is entirely the reason I’ll watch Emma Stone in anything, I won’t lie. to this day, the joke about “the book discussed in the English class of a movie must always be relevant to the plot” lives in my head, rent free

[@chanmarr8118]

I think it’s that the books we’re reading in class always relates to our life in some way. That’s why at the end when the gay guy runs away with the black guy, she says Huckleberry Fin is now accounted for lol

[@Spacetimefungi]

Go watch "The Curse". It's arguably her most challenging role and best performance.

[@thislycantomboy7087]

@@Spacetimefungi already have! Like I said, I’ve been a big Emma Stone fan for a while and recently hopped on the “what the hell is Nathan Fielder” train so I watched it as soon as it came out. That scene where they’re both trying to recreate an ‘organic moment’ for Instagram still twigs me out lmao

[@Bubaiel]

That joke paid off so well with Olive saying that Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn wouldn’t happen in real life and then later in the movie a student runs up to Olive announcing that it literally did 😭

[@MamaJayde]

I hope you’ve seen “Poor Things” she was fantastic!

[@MeredithHagan]

Honestly one of my favorite things about Easy A is the feeling you get that these classmates have all known each other since they were much younger. “We haven’t talked in a while.” One of the reasons middle and high school can be so socially difficult is because we naturally drift away from our grade school friends to form new social groups. Olive’s journey is partially reconnecting with people she became distant from, while asserting her voice with her only current friend. It makes her so compelling on that front alone, before even taking her fantastic wit into account. This video essay is wonderful! You made me appreciate I movie I already loved even more.

[@WaaDoku]

I find that this wasn't explained well enough. Because even if the classmates knew each other for a long time, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are all chummy and talk like they are basically family. Some exposition was missing because these really intimate conversations happen out of nowhere. Or maybe that worked for people who had similar experiences in high school?

[@hangsmotionless5935]

What a wonderful and well-written opinion. Do you have a blog or a podcast? Honest question. It resonated with me because that happened exactly in my life. Some "best friends" from elementary school became almost strangers, even adversaries, in our teenage years. Reconnecting with some and totally cutting off others was a painful growing experience.

[@JoeKing69]

Okay but am I seriously supposed to believe that Emma Stone was ever unpopular in high school? She's better looking than literally any other female character in the film it's so distracting. Maybe if they had her dressed more conservative like they did in the House Bunny it'd be more believable but here even her hair is perfect.

[@JanWest24]

@@JoeKing69it's not her looks that set her apart, we do see that these are noticed and if she really had wanted to she could have blend in with the popular crew. The boys at school know she's attractive, that's why her plan works in the first place. But her looks are instead used to slut-shame her when it's convenient

[@sleepdeprived_inc.]

As someone who went through high school with peers I had known mostly from kindergarten (unless they were a “new kid” in elementary anywhere from 3-5th grade- we were quite the small school. All three schools in one building just divided by a hallway or two) this is pretty accurate. Like, not a whole lot of deep convos, but Olive’s social situation is scarily similar to how I was and am. Like, I’ve never seen this movie and hearing these descriptions of her social standing being; one friend _really_ and being on friendly terms with pretty much the whole grade is pretty much how my entire high school career went. Then again, my class consisted of 70 students total so. Hard not to know almost all of them.

[@commieswine]

I absolutely love, love, love the family dynamic in this movie. Honestly one of the only teen movies that stuck with me. Glad to see other people love it as much as I do.

[@hilburn-]

The only fictional family that compares is the Addams Family imo

[@knday]

Every time I've watched this movie, I've come away wishing they did a spin-off tv show of the family.

[@hopelessromantic3786]

It reminds me of the dynamic I had with my mom and siblings as a teenager. It feels so realistic and cozy

[@BenjWarrant]

"Spell it out with your peas!" "I'll take that challenge!"

[@nocchi.9589]

Rhiannon being in love with Olive makes SO much sense. I will rewatch this film with such a completely different view of her now.

[@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195]

It explains to me why she would kiss Todd, she would want to separate him from olive due to jealousy. i know they're teenagers so it really changes her character for me

[@lisah8438]

That explains it. But she doesn't deserve Olive. I am not shipping them. Still a horrible friend.

[@larafranke1802]

​@@lisah8438 I agree. At her age I also couldn't separate having much feelings for someone and really loving someone. I learnt through out the years that loving someone means to want the best for this person, even if that means seeing them happy with someone else (I have been there..) but if you want to be as close as possible to someone just because you want to feel good is not love! They don't exist to make you happy! I guess Rihannon was afraid of confessing her feelings cause she was afraid of not just loosing hope for a relationship but also loosing a friendship in case Olive would reject her, but it doesn't excuse everything she did, like controlling her to keep her close. I loved to see the look on her face after she saw the livestream cause it gave me hope that she could change and I wonder till this day, if their friendship might have been exhumed.

[@UnicycleDisco]

​@larafranke1802 since they purposely ended it like that it's safe to assume things worked themselves out, perhaps not as close but fine

[@KayleeFarnes]

right?! I need to do a rewatch now with that in mind. my mind is blown.

[@DesertHomesteader]

I always read the "unrealistic dialog" in Easy A as a teen who mostly hangs out with her hippie/educated parents. I know this happens because I spoke differently than my peers in high school as well. That said, I'd also say that these scripts really need to be reviewed and edited by a group of actual teens.

[@sheyannev2757]

Raised by my grandparents, I second this soo hard. I genuinely don't notice most of the time when people call out unrealistic teen dialogue

[@zarabee2880]

Agreed, though neither her nor her “educated” parents were able to pronounce the word twat 👀

[@itsannaluh5362]

I was never a big “people my age” person, so I was the kid who spoke in an unrealistic way in my real life 😂😂

[@baba_alia]

And it important to mention that she is a "nerdy-smarty-readingclassynovels" teen. She is pretentious and witty. Her peers sometimes can't understand her So it makes perfect sense in this film

[@ArgoBargo]

All I know is that my parents were English teachers and I absolutely talked like olive

[@katherine2354]

I think Olive's parents had a big effect on parents in later teen movies but they didn't get what made them great. IDK if you've seen Crush but the mum in that felt really reminiscent of Olive's mum but with no boundaries, no ability to read the room or know when to take the moment seriously. Olive's parents are cheeky and they will be embarrassing sometimes in a playful way but they never take it too far to the point it becomes invasive because they know their daughter.

[@AraJade]

I just rewatched crush and couldn‘t agree more! They tried so hard but it always read a little like her mum oversteps a lot of boundaries but is also trying //so// hard to be a good parent :/

[@NovemberOrWhatever]

Say what you want about it being unrealistic to high school, I tried out being very slutty once, and my experiences ended up being fairly close to the movie in a lot of ways. The people who didn't like me doing it pretended that the reason they didn't like it was because it was bad for me and they weren't trying to bully me, they were trying to protect me. And, although I was doing it for real, most of the people I found were fairly downtrodden. There were also a few guys who assumed that being open meant I had no boundaries, and were surprised when I didn't like how they were treating me. It's a pretty realistic movie.

[@emmanuel7489]

Totally agree. Definitely exaggerated for comedy, but the themes and experiences are there.

[@lydz7451]

Easy A instantly became one of my all time favorite movies. I never felt like it was talked about enough so the fact you're covering it has me so excited!

[@poppyclaire3967]

Back with another comment because I have more thoughts. The perfection of the portrayal of Olive's family dynamic cannot be understated. Honestly, its so refreshing to see movie/tv show parents who are just...good people, kind and supportive with their own distinct personalities and humour. I'm sort of sick of seeing teen dramas where the teens are constantly fighting with their parents, its so nice to have a movie where they're not the source of conflict and instead a grounding force for the protagonist. When people ask me what my relationship is like with my family I point to this movie as the perfect example, I enjoy hanging out with my parents, we've always been close and I've never really fought with them, our brand of humour is a little weird but we get it and I tell them most stuff about my life, and they tell me about their lives its just that kind of casual relationship that is more like friends than parent and child and its so nice to see that kind of parenting reflected in a movie, especially a teen movie.

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

I love the parents in this movie. I also liked when they told her she looked like an escort, but for senators 😆 was so funny

[@rubybirchall1717]

Omg, whenever people ask me what my family is like now I'm using this movie as an example 😂

[@SocialExperiment232]

Saaame! I’m so sick of tv/movies only ever representing families in a negative way. Some of us had amazing families and are raising amazing families ourselves. I loved seeing this as a kid and feeling like not all families everywhere were train wrecks.

[@EyeDee98]

Honestly, I think because it is sadly far more common to have unhealthy family dynamics and frequent conflict, and people often write stories based on their life experiences and things they can relate to. As unfortunate as it is, you are in the minority by having a good relationship with your parents and a positive and open family dynamic, so that kind of scenario just doesn’t get portrayed as often.

[@frederik_9748]

If i ever become a parent i want to be like Olivine's parents. I think it's an amazing example of what good parenting looks like. In my family there was a lot of fighting and a lot of judgement. Other movies did the problematic child-parent relationship justice already (for example Ladybird) so i really like what they did in Easy A.

[@puffpuffjess]

the 'c'est/say la vie' 'la vie' joke flew over my head for YEARS until i rewatched it recently, truly the movie that keeps on giving lol

[@ravinmarokef]

Lol I just got it now - to be fair I (when I speak French) do not pronounce c'est like say (c'est sounds about halfway between the "ai" in said and the "ay" in say for me)

[@Aphelion.s_Abyss]

I still don't get i- ohhhhhhhh. HAHAHA 😂

[@Aphelion.s_Abyss]

​@@ravinmarokefSame. Now I'm wondering if if I pronounce it incorrectly

[@morganleanderblake678]

Amanda Bynes did NOT get enough credit for this movie. She was chewing every scene she was in and it makes me bonkers that the only people who get credit for doing that are old men.

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

She is very good in this movie

[@Dyslexiella]

Old men are hot

[@nicole1734]

Genuine question: is 'chewing' some kind of slang I don't know or do you literally mean she was chewing on something?

[@helaineee]

@@nicole1734it is slang. in this context it basically just means she was doing really well and it was impressive

[@cataryad661]

And it’s so sad that Amanda watched her performance in this, and decided to quit acting

[@maliareagan382]

I’m so glad you talked about the dialogue. When I was a teen I loved how witty this movie was. I didn’t want a movie with realistic dialogue - because I could just talk to my peers any day of the week. When I was that age I loved things that challenged my thinking, I liked learning new words, and it made me explore the world more because let’s be honest as a teenager I barely knew anything. Also it made me want to rewatch the movie over and over again.

[@howdyhowdyhelga]

there's something very sad about mary-anne's friendship with olivia, honestly. you can almost immediately tell by the way mary-anne throws herself into the friendship that she probably hasn't had many friendships with girls her age. the vibe is difference than with her congregation, because i'd be willing to bet none of them are really friends. and how quickly that friendship ended kind of showed /why/ mary-anne has trouble keeping friends. at no point did she ever go to olive and say 'this is what i heard, is it true?' which shows how little trust existed on mary-anne's end. i could go on about how this is tied to the perception of women in christian and culturally christian societies having an impression on the way mary-anne views women and the inherent idea of female friendship as competition but i don't think either of us have time for that.

[@grandempressvicky6387]

I would love to hear it if ur willing

[@atinyevil1383]

I always saw Mary-Anne's friendship with Olive as her wanting to be around someone who won't judge her. Everyone around her would probably judge her for everything she did. Her parents, her friends from the club, people who think she's just "a stuck-up Jesus freak".

[@kellharris2491]

Yes, like she is the way she is because of how she was raised. Almost every pastor kid I know has major issues. It's because their life faces so much scrutiny. Women in church are either holy mother mary's or they are whores. There is no in between among conservative Christians.

[@Pandie2828]

I don't disagree with you and I'm aware of the historically backwards views a lot of so called Christians have had. We get a lot of bad press because of it. I just wanted to speak from my experience that it's not always like that. I've spent the past few years surrounded by Christians and the only person who judged me was myself. I've been overwhelmed by understanding and a resounding messages of self forgiveness. The girls in my youth group are truly some of the best people I've ever known.

[@Aphelion.s_Abyss]

I agree. It was rlly disappointing to me. It made me think of my own experiences with befriending girls similar to her and just the other media is seen in general. And my own history with Christianity.

[@justaguy9437]

Fr if you keep uploading video essays of this standard for like a couple more months you're not only gonna become one of the most popular analyser KZbinrs but probably one of the best KZbinrs on the site. Incredible stuff

[@nylapatterson5244]

no literally i was thinking abt how good her quality is

[@angelikalaser7778]

​@@nylapatterson5244isn't it totally strange for a ona person youtuber who claims they have never done that before? I find it very sus

[@ivy2828]

@@angelikalaser7778girl..dont even😐

[@kalikayy]

So well fleshed out❤

[@SloanStowe]

This is too nice 🥲❤ thank you for your support

[@SkwithOv]

i've always really appreciated todd because he listens to her and what she wants in a way that's genuine and thoughtful he's not trying to be nice to get something, he just likes her and wants to be a good person

[@SkwithOv]

i also love her parents

[@abrielle13]

Easy A is a Gem! Tod is so underrated and I'm so jealous of her parents.

[@joshlikesfries]

This movie to me feels like a piece of home, one you would watch in the afternoon after you went home from school coming home sick or whatever. This mo ie just radiates everything I love. A cheeky relatable outcast, a good makeover scene and it’s self awareness. The characters are aware of their situations grounding the movie in reality one that you and I could have experiece. All that I’m trying to say that this movie is the true definition of a “Feel Good” movie.

[@joshlikesfries]

Also talking about the incredible cast A young new fresh Emma stone still car ing out her carrer, A seemingly first kiss scene played by Braeden Lemasters before Wallows (my favourite band), An amazing open talkative parents played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. And to acknowledge the start of Amanda Bynes “quiting acting” so sad to see her not like her role in this she was so amazing! But I do hope she is doing good now.❤️

[@NickNightfall1711]

I totally agree with you and also second what you said about Amanda Bynes. She's so talented and seems like really a good person who has been through a lot, I really hope she's doing well now, she deserves it.

[@AmorJonatico1]

This movie is so under appreciated. I really liked how you explained it and having the context of Rhiannon liking Olive absolutely changes my perspective so I'll definitely will be rewatching it!

[@ivealwaysbeenswimming9030]

I’d like to think that Olive being such a good character stems from her stellar parents. And honestly, when I first watched this movie, I almost sobbed due to how much of a stark contrast they were to my own.

[@Cairo198]

@ivealwaysbeenswimming9030 her parents failed in this movie. she is a minor, not their friend. My father was vioIIent and i would prefer Olive's parents, but parents need to be a bit more responsible. i'm againstcontrolling, or overprotectiveness or ordering the kid around, but in this case, they should have been there for her much,much more- she needed more support and help. she was going through an exceptional serious case of bu*ying and they were treating her as a friend,a grownup friend, not as their own child and a minor for whom they were responsible for. They were way too lax. this is not good parenting, it only looks cool on screen..they could have prepared her for s**uaI a*auIt that happened to her later, they could have coached her to not be even alone with any guy in a parking lot during this serious time.... They could have absolutely changed her perspective on helping the terribIe counselor............ They could also ask parents and teachers to have the students friggin' not bring actual protest signs to school..

[@HannerBananer28]

The sound bit when he’s the woodchuck “chewing” on the wood 😂😂

[@Exalted_in_Venus]

It gets me every time! 😂

[@james-michaelrobson287]

I'm so glad you said it, because I've said it for years too. Stanley Tucci elevates everything he is in. Amazing. And the banter he gets here, even as limited as it is, is so well delivered. "Oh yeah! Your peas!" "What country are you from originally" dude was hilarious.

[@hawkwardzombie]

“C’est la vie. La vie” i remember seeing this movie in theatres and was so impressed. even 14 years later, it still holds up. and it’s SO quotable

[@keernhaslem1845]

My son, now 19, couldn’t help but watch our copy, repeatedly. Even though I pestered him. He wouldn’t say why, if it was attraction or what. I’m left believing he was just compelled by the heroine and story.

[@xenidus]

Lololol I just got that joke. Wow, missed it completely.

[@-chenlanying5818]

​@@xenidus what does it mean

[@hanana-bread]

@@-chenlanying5818 "say la vie"

[@JudyCZ]

Captain Obvious to the rescue, please? 🙏🏻😭

[@Archius9]

Stanley Tucci’s “WHAT! WHO TOLD YOU!?” Was genius

[@MamaJayde]

I looooove watching Emma go from Easy A to Poor Things. It feels like they really help embody her growth as an actress, but she’s still funny, bold and against the grain. She’s phenomenal.

[@pingidjit]

I have loved this film but always thought Rhi was such an awful person let alone friend. Her being in love with Olive absolutely changes the perception. Her reactions become less crazy and while still wrong, more understandable. I am so glad I found this video!

[@marcusclark1339]

yeah she's terrible, understood but not more empathetic

[@kellharris2491]

Honestly it makes me think her actions are more crazy. It makes sense but she comes across like a toxic ex rather then just a toxic friend. That adds an element of discomfort because she is hurting someone she loves.

[@msf2399]

Fun fact: I saw this in theaters for my birthday when it first came out! A couple years later I wanted to get the DVD when I saw it on sale, and my mom was like, "Oh no. No, no, no. That's not appropriate for a girl your age." I pointed out that I had seen it & loved it *ages* ago, and she was flabbergasted. She could not remember that birthday party at all (admittedly, I'm pretty sure my dad took us.) I started summarizing the plot to explain it, and *that* was when I found out she missed the "lie" plot point, and until that very moment she thought it was about teen prostitution. ...Anyway, she bought me the DVD. We just had to clear that up first, lol.

[@Aphelion.s_Abyss]

I, all my life until a couple weeks ago, had also thought that was what it was about and it made me feel icky. AND THEN I WATCHED AND I WAS LIKE "...This is one of the greatest films of all time, I think."

[@Daisy-ig5qk]

you have no idea how much this video essay means to me. This movie has always been in my heart and this well thought video made me shed a tear over how complex and beuatifully written it is, thank you so much

[@lydiaboyle7058]

You're telling me OLIVE's parents were ROSEMARY AND DILL? That is hilarious

[@levischorpioen]

There's something really funny about a film heavily inspired by an 1850 novel being called "ahead of its time".

[@bhoqeem1975]

"Easy A" is my somewhat one of those ritual films that I just have to watch every view years. The dialogs are killing it.

[@kristofergray6138]

“ the people who know who you are, know who you are. The people who don’t are irrelevant.” brilliant. I love that this was an amazing video. I also loved the movie and thoroughly enjoyed hearing you talk about it.

[@Cairo198]

i always thought that Olive was a super-gifted child. Very advanced mind, used to read literature for grown-ups, etc. That is why her parents treated her as equal - which was a BIG mistake. she needed their help and they did not recognize it. But i assumed that she was, since childhood, always operating on highly advanced brain, always a few years ahead of her classmates.

[@AraJade]

I don‘t know if I agree with this - mostly because I think her parents really gave her the opportunity to grow, make mistakes and learn from them. Parents obviously need to look out for their kids, but I think this film had a really great balance of them expressing concern and being worried about her behaviour, but allowing her to have agency in the outcome of her life and to experience her decisions in full. Her parents were there and ready to help at any moment, it was up to her to come to them for help if she felt she needed it - but she didn‘t. Sure, she made some bad choices, but I didn‘t get the sense that Olive regretted them in their entirety. Olive wasn‘t traumatised by the experience, her life wasn‘t ‘over‘, she made mistakes and learned from them - and her parents gave her the space and the support to do that.

[@Cairo198]

@@AraJade sorry but she got s** uaIIy a$auIted, she got buIIied by teens with even big posters caIIing her names, she blamed herself for the divorce of her teacher, she took bIame for the guidance counseIor's crimes... She absolutely needed parents that would explain to her how she's wrong, how she shouldn't blame herself, how she should be more careful when it comes to being in danger of S.A.,she was in so much danger on so many levels and her parents acted as if she was their friend, not their responsibility.

[@SippinTeaaa]

@@AraJade exactly 💯

[@ayanna6327]

I've loved this movie since I was a tween, so thank you for covering it. I couldn't agree more about Stanley Tucci, he's always a delight. The cast in general for Easy A was very good, no one came off as mis-casted or lacking in performance. I always loved Olive's parents too, they came off so warm but in a natural, almost carefree way, and they gave off vibes that said these were two parents who not just want to be parents, but enjoy being parents!

[@DaveRyanMcNeely]

Rosemary and Dill? Ha! I can't believe it took me 13 years to get that. Entertaining and educational - this is why I dig this channel

[@miralyse.3846]

Rosemary, Dill, Olive and Chip - a delicious family, I'd say :-)

[@johnindigo5477]

​@@miralyse.3846 quite the charcuterie

[@emeliaphia1567]

Me too! I've seen this movie so many times, I can't believe I never caught that

[@Aphelion.s_Abyss]

OH MY GOD. Their whole family unit 😂😭 I love them

[@mogamatsedickpetersen8620]

I first watched this movie when it came out in 2010 and several times since then, but I did not know that Olive's parents were named 'Dill' and 'Rosemary'. I love that so much! Haha. I think what makes 'Easy A' such a great movie is that the characters aren't stereotypes of their respective roles. Each character is so believable and the actors did an amazing job of their portrayals. Also: the reason why Todd is by far best boy in this movie, is because he's the only guy shown to not use Olive to gain popularity. There is so much to love about this movie.

[@sarahviola3942]

The sound Penn badgley makes when “chewing” on the wood plays in my head randomly all the time

[@MrErik052005]

After I graduated college, I saved up $3,000 in 2012 and moved from Missouri to Florida with no job. In my shared apartment, I only had a tv and DVD player for entertainment. While applying for jobs online or boredom, I would watch Easy A and The Brady Bunch Movie all the time. I never got sick of them. Easy A helped give me some joy during a scary time. Moving across country with no job and a useless marketing degree. Thank you Easy A and Emma Stone.

[@nicolecepero-rai5903]

Another fantastic video! Olive’s parents were a huge part of why I love this movie, and how I try to behave around the littles in my life. Respect, trust, and take what they say seriously. Thanks for this!

[@348mohimimam4]

TLDR;Your essay made me understand the nuances and appreciate the layers of this movie from a completely new perspective. You've earned a loyal subscriber here. Long version: Ever since November 6, 2016, I've made it a tradition to revisit this movie at least once a year, always in November. Each time I watch it, it feels as fresh as the first time, and rather than getting old, my experience deepens with each viewing. So the time rolled once again to revisit the movie this year and damn I have missed the warmth of this movie soo much that at the end of the movie I sorta had teary eyes. So, to clinch on to this feeling, I immediately hopped onto KZbin to find others who share my love for "Easy A" and I am glad I stumbled upon your quality content. It legit opened a third eye for me. Long story short, after a power nap I went back and rewatched it again!!! Twice in a single day but TWO VERY DIFFERENT REWATCHES. So, your essay made me appreciate the characters, theme of the movie from a totally different set of lenses for which I am grateful to you and every single person who are even remotely associated with the movie "Easy A". It truly is a timeless masterpiece, pièce de résistance. Keep up the good work ma'am.

[@robbiegeegee]

Easy A is my all time favorite "teen movie" and I feel has always been under appreciated. You pointed out so many of the reasons I loved it but you may have made me love it more. Amazing essay, keep up the great content!

[@skitterlegion1882]

The love and likeability of olive and her method of speaking hits a special time in my childhood since I grew up reading Calvin and Hobbs. Both of which frequently used words and jokes that went way over my little young head and I constantly had to look words up to decipher the jokes meaning.

[@zackestin1368]

you dont need a niche, the excitement in what you're talking about and the passion in it is why I subscribed personally, its nice to just have a cheerful yet concerned voice on the side sometimes, the quality of your own character is apparent from how you talk about others and their own struggles and depths, everything is nuanced to talk about the positives and how it could work, not just why something didnt, which in video essays is exceedingly rare. I have you on the side monitor, but based on the fact one of my suggestions is named "Click: the worst movie" on the sidebar from this video alone shows a lot on how you clearly want to handle stuff differently than other essayists, and I just want to support that genuine enthusiasm for things important to your teenage years.

[@Baby-Face-Grace]

Wonderful essay. I’ve always loved Easy A and thought of it with much high regard up there with 10 Things I Hate About You and Mean Girls. I was shocked to learn about Rhiannon’s original feelings for Olive but it gives her character’s motivation more weight. Her character was the one thing that really bothered me in the movie because I didn’t understand her nuance. It’s a shame that wasn’t pursued further but ultimately it’s such a great movie I don’t mind too much.

[@holareli]

I love this movie so much, knowing that Rhiannon had a crush on Olive makes much more sense and adds to it. I feel like keeping it hidden might also be due to the fact that the story is being told through Olive’s pov

[@emzy3327]

what is ur pfp from??

[@THEchiQ]

I only now know why I adore this film. I recently, in my 50s, discovered I’m on the spectrum, and have been misunderstood consistently and upsettingly for all of the decades. I now know why, but I didn’t back then. Your analysis clarifies so much about why I felt Olive was me, despite all the major plot ticks being far from my own story. Nice! I bought the movie ages back. Now I’m going to rewatch it…again 🙃

[@n9na_marie]

not the sucker punch slander just minutes into the video 😭

[@lillyofthenorth8798]

I agree with you- Though, I think it's easy to underestimate that movie at first glance AND knowing who the director is. I didn't watch it when it was new bc I also was like "this looks...like something lol". Upon watching it years later, around me being 28 years old, I was surprised there is more to it than it seems & liked it! I think this youtuber should give it a chance for sure.

[@mintkit1064]

Fr i came to say the same thing. I like Suckerpunch 😭

[@majesdane]

I’m glad someone else mentioned this. I do think Emma Stone is way better suited for Easy A, but Sucker Punch is also a good film.

[@vruby361]

sucker punch is so good

[@KalGiaquinta]

Absolute SLANDER 😭

[@KayleeFarnes]

this is honestly such a comfort movie. and yes Todd!!! one of the greatest love interests, he just knows her and it's so sweet.

[@tawbhwa]

THANK YOU! my cinephile mom doesn't understand why I LOVE this movie, but you just validated me for 37.17 minutes straight.

[@carissacunningham5290]

This is my favorite movie of all time! You really elegantly explained all the reasons I love it. For me, this movie came at the perfect time when I exactly needed, right after I left high school and went into college. One thing I would say about the movie as well is that Olive is actually a super relatable character. Like, a lot of teenage girls are witty, smart, and have huge vocabularies. Teen girls do not get enough credit for how funny they can be. I also liked that her problem was also not being horribly bullied but being just a regular girl. Her problems were low enough stakes to allow for comedy that doesn't unintentionally belittle the main character. This is even acknowledged when she encounters Brandon, the gay character. She is still self-aware enough to understand that her problems could be a lot worse, and tries to help out people with less social capital. Even still, her problems matter, and she gets resolution when she makes herself a priority while still retaining her kindness and empathy for others even though there are some people throw it in her face.

[@makai1621]

I love your videos. I’m excited to see what else you do. I can never here Pocketful of Sunshine without seeing Emma Stone opening and closing that card.

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

Thanks because same. That song was getting annoying but then that montage with olive made me love it more.

[@bw1llis]

this essay massively increases my appreciation for a film I already loved. Your analysis and attention to the themes and finer details is simply brilliant.

[@jamalhartley5863]

This was a legitimately fun movie. Also Woodchuck Todd didnt ask cuz he remembered what Olive did for him when he was nervous about kissing her. Thats also why he didnt believe the rumors. Easy A is legit a movie i often unintentionally quote. The "oooohhh burn!" Comment while walking away was top tier as a clapback. Or "I fake rocked your world" I also really enjoyed the parents as well. The movie actually had the white family adopting a black son and actually didnt make a weird thing about it. This movie also made me an Emma Stone fan. Her delivery was always chef's kiss.

[@debbieakadely1212]

Easy A has always been part of my top five movies. i rewatched so many times as a teen. great video. i enjoyed watching every minute of it

[@AmandaNievi]

First time in my life that I legit said out loud "what? it's over already? aw :(" after watching a video, which mirrored perfectly with the "aw, really, only two videos?!" when I finished your video on PLL and went to watch more a few weeks ago. I had never turned on notifications with such gusto after the Mentalist video because I'm really looking forward to more videos and this channel getting bigger, which I believe it's just a matter of time!

[@maxinejones3879]

I just want to say that - aside from being a phenomenally put together and thought-out analysis of the film, the line that you have at the rnd of the video about the people who know who you are know who you are was such a lovely comforting thing to hear that it genuinely made me pause and consider it. So thank you for that, it was most definitely a reminder that is sometimes needed ☺️

[@vredesduifje]

I've loved this movie since first watch, and every couple of years I rewatch it. I love that you made this amazing video! And yes, surprised me with that line for Ri from the script. If you hadn't pointed it out, I'd never have known.

[@smurfyday]

I subscribed when you reviewed The Mentalist, one of the best shows on TV ever. You've just gone on from there. Bravo

[@SloanStowe]

I remember your comments! Thank you so much for your continued support 💕

[@MatthewSmith-st9ez]

holy shit you just blew my mind with that bit about Rhi being in love with Olive, i now REALLY need to re-watch this movie

[@kcsivaranjani]

I'm so happy reading through this comment section. Easy A is my favourite movie ever but severely underrated. This movie receiving the appreciation it deserves is so nice to see. In the world of Riverdale and Euphoria, I want more Easy A.

[@Deminz]

Hey I really loved the conclusion that you came to at 36:42 and it really felt like everything locked together once I heard it. I do wish that you could've just sat in the conclusion for a couple more minutes because you cut immediately after. Great video!

[@joiedevivre2005]

"Easy A" is one of my favorite movies & this is a fantastic analysis of it. I am not a teen, nor was I in 2010. I'm a Gen Xer & I see a lot of my generation in both Olive (her sarcastic, self-effacing humor is rather Gen X-y) & (mostly) her parents. To me, they exemplify the best of my generation that we have tried to pass down to our kids. I'm not trying to interject myself in a Boomeresque way - just happy for the subtle nod given to my fellow Gen X cultural icons (it is nice to be noticed & remembered, especially in a positive way). The characters are very relatable - in real life scenarios, & not just "this should be your life" scenarios which make up the bulk of teen movies (including my beloved 80's teen movies). I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt, so even Marianne is believable as we have multitudes of Marianne's running around. As for Olive's dialogue not being "teen" enough, most of us have had "that friend" who was 30 at the age of 16. Overall, it is an excellent movie that I wish had been a part of my teen years. I feel like it accomplished what the teen movies of my generation strove to be, but didn't quite reach.

[@vesper_bb]

justice for suckerpunch i did appreciate this video though. i wish they were more overt with the queer crush in the movie. it definitely breaks down the desire to classify rhiannon as a mean girl.

[@Merlist95]

I loved this movie growing up and I couldn't be more jealous about the relationship Olive has with her parents, like you said best on screen parents ever. Thank you for spending time on this analysis, I really liked it!

[@BSwitchGTG]

I’ve not seen The Mentalist or Easy A, and these two videos of yours are some of the finest work on all of KZbin. Honestly, whatever this “I don’t know what I’m doing” is…I think you do, and I think you should keep doing exactly this. You’ve got a great eye, great mind, and great voice to break down media, and this feels like rare content. So keep it up!

[@jimillahogan4146]

I also love the depiction of her parents as a happy couple and in love with each other, they are like best friends and it is beautiful. Amazing video thank you

[@ImmaURq]

I love the family dynamic. My parents weren’t so friendly as olive’s but we did a lot of things together and it was so much of a comfort cause at school I was shy and lonely.

[@kaza99]

WOW such an incredible video! I've always been so obsessed with this movie, I watched it in high school with my dad, and it always stuck out as one of the best coming of age movies I'd ever seen. Coming of age is my favourite genre.

[@shimmerence]

there was a point in time where i could literally recite this movie from memory, it’s so funny. also i think the webcam as a narrative device really suited the audience since vlogging was just starting to take off at the time.

[@TempestinBlue]

I don’t know why I love watching video essays about movies and shows I’ve never seen, but you do them really well.

[@boopsbadoinks7922]

easy a is one of my favorite underrated classics, but i had yet to see a good video diving deep into the story. this video filled that void and more! please keep it up

[@emilyhills8386]

Easy A was the first movie that I related to with its witty script and off/ out of date references. I was that teen! It was a breth of fresh air for me when I first saw this film! It's part of why it's one of my favorites. Alright I will watch Easy A again, you've convinced me.

[@wardle118]

Mate this is such high quality analysis! Please keep going, it’s really upsetting you only have 3 videos

[@Aedi_H._Dee]

your voice is so soothing to listen to. and i love the analysis. I wasn’t even in my teens when easy a came out, so i was never interested in watching it, but the way you broke down the relationships and character dynamics here the more interested I became, and I’ve finally downloaded it to watch!

[@Schulya]

As a young teenager this was my favourite movie, I watched it all the time. When I got older (even now 22y/o) I felt ashamed admitting it to others and myself because looking back I felt it was a bit stupid compared to these huge great well thought out movies. That Easy A was a "dumb" movie and that made me dumb for liking it so much. This video essay really healed the little girl in me, validated my feeling of it being an actual good movie. I know it's fine to adore "dumb" movies, but being a teenager and a young adult it mattered to me more than I realised while watching this video. Thank you so much for this, it really made me tear up. (Side note, I watch a lot of video essays and analysis of movies since it's a huge interest of mine right now and I just adore your style, the points, incorporating your own opinions, the editing, the scenes picked out etc etc.. just everything was absolutely perfect in my opinion. SO glad the algorithm gave this to me on the front page, I subscribed half way through!! You deserve all the praise and I hope more people get to enjoy your content. Keep up the great work! Love ya

[@irisduquesne6945]

i've always loved this movie so much. I felt represented in olive's easy-going personality and casual banter with her parents. + the acting is ONE POINT. PS: Ri being in love with Olive makes SO much sense! it's a shame they didn't make it more clear in the movie :/

[@HGR555]

I watch a ton of video essays on KZbin. I love deep diving into a media I haven't consumed or just haven't thought of in a while. The care and perspective you bring to your videos is so refreshing. Your content reminds me a lot of ladyknightthebrave who is also so genuine about their thoughts and the love for the media they're discussing. This was a fantastic video, well done

[@riachhina2233]

I'm not sure why this made me emotional! I watched this movie a lot as a teenager, it was one of my favourites. And maybe only now am I realising that the theme and the message of Easy A subsconsiously felt so close to home for me. Hence why I probably kept going back to it. Thanks for sharing this! Love your work

[@darthrister]

I dont know how I found your channel nor which of your first two videos was the first one I watched... but honestly all three of your videos are so incredible well made, funny, interesting and just pure entertainment from start to finish. I cant really put into words how they make me feel, but if I had to it would be something along the lines of: "they put me in a state of inner peace, where I dont want to think or do anything else, but just to focus on the video, every sentence and every frame of it. It just FEELS so right and natural to watch and listen." So thank you so much for putting out these videos and I hope you feel a fraction of my positive emotions when creating them. I cant wait for more videos, especially the first time a video is about something I dont know or didnt watch and I get to enjoy a show/movie with the thought in mind of being able to watch another amazing video of yours after finishing it.

[@LilLWH]

Sooo happy to hear someone speak on this movie. Definitely one of those that spoke to me when I saw it originally, even if I didn't quite pick up on the message it was trying to actually teach me. I really enjoyed your perspective and it helped me understand more on why I loved it as much as I have.

[@ryankelly8428]

Ahhh I love this movie, and I love your video on this movie! Thank you for this. As someone with parents I didn't feel supported by....I'm particularly envious of Olive's parents, especially when it released and I was still in my senior year of high school.

[@Cairo198]

@ryankelly8428 her parents failed here, i love this movie, but she was a minor.She needed more support and help. she was going through an exceptional serious case of bu*ying and they were treating her as a grownup.i'm against controlling, or overprotectiveness or ordering the kid around, but here theywere too lax. nothing against the actors.

[@amy_officemom]

The Asian daughter in me teared up when you start breaking down the parents' characters. You're so right! Model parents in history! The support and empathy they provide allow their kids to grow on their own. *chef's kiss*

[@joburg2646]

Easy A is my go to movie to watch when I'm sick, it just puts me in a better mood. You're video is awesome, keep up the great work!×

[@tombraiderstrums09]

I didn’t see Easy A until I was well into my twenties or maybe in my early thirties, I forget. And it’s one of my favorite movies. My sister was the one who first told me I HAD to watch it, and we still quote it to each other all the time.

[@elitettelbach4247]

Excellent analysis and commentary! I’ve never heard of the take that Rhi was in love with Olive, but that would actually explain a lot. Love this movie! Emma Stone is perfect as Olive! And yes all the people that get the real Olive (her parents, Woodchuck Todd, etc.) were really rootable characters. And then Aly Michalka and Amanda Bynes were such standouts for me.

[@SOLmeMAYBE]

KZbin recommended this video to me today and as someone who has watched Easy A thrice in a movie theater and countless times since, I had to watch your video (and the film again) of course! Your analysis is spot on. There's something oddly charming about this movie that makes it feel nostalgic like the romcom films it references but also of its time. I absolutely adore Olive's quips because it shows character and her interactions with her family kinda shows where she got her wits from. It's not a teenage protagonist pretending to be cool or edgy or different; it's how she literally is at home. Plus I really love her whole wardrobe transformation sequence together with her interaction with her Dad when he tells her to give them hell and she smiles and gets on with altering the clothes. I just adore this movie so much!

[@tinnssaa]

I bought this movie on iTunes back in the day so I could watch on my iPod touch… such a throwback! I love this movie

[@jordyn7144]

i love watching video essay’s about movies i haven’t seen and olive is soooo me from her best friend, how she interacts with her peers to her relationship with her parents so i will definitely be watching this 😭😭

[@NintendoHighSchool]

Great as always! Can't wait to see you hitting the big numbers you deserve!

[@rexkreamer]

I usually put on movie essay videos on in the background (cleaning, video games, etc.), but I literally paused what I was doing to watch. I even got popcorn. This was so well made and executed. You have incredible presence and your analysis was amazing. I need so much more of this! Keep up the amazing work.

[@TwoMonkeysInATrenchcoat]

I totally get the opinion of SuckerPunch not being a good movie, but I do honk if you did a deep dive into it and the symbolism within the movie, a deeper appreciation would develop for it. I think it could have been done differently in a way that portrayed the message more clearly but it’s still super interesting. Idk I did a deep dive on it during quarantine and it definitely changed my perspective of it 🤷🏻‍♀️ Super love your vids!

[@Jenny-vm3yu]

I actually really enjoyed Sucker Punch but I feel the movie was somewhat ruined for most people, due to an essentially deleted scene. The High Roller (doctor doing the lobotomy in actuality) going to take Babydoll’s virginity. In the deleted scene, this plays out and is then contrasted against the doctor performing the lobotomy in real life. This scene not only makes it abundantly clear to the audience what is happening inside Babydoll’s mind vs the real world but explicitly likens the act of sex to the lobotomy- both the of which Babydoll is seen to be accepting of in the film (also as a sacrifice for her friend). The act of losing her virginity or having the lobotomy did not take Babydoll’s soul/spirit away, they did not win. When I saw the deleted scene, I thought it added so much more to the film. I was able to understand Babydoll’s mindset a lot more.

[@KennaDC]

"I don't have a niche" -- I know this video was posted 8 months ago, but these deep dives into media are fantastic. I've now watched the Ghost Whisperer, Mentalist, and PLL videos. I love the way you look at the writing without sensationalizing anything. I love how you acknowledge how fiction and real life interact. The example you gave of Olive using complicated words to convey genuine emotions and experiences was exactly what drew me to Easy A as someone barely out of my teens. I loved that understanding Olive made me feel smart. As an adult, I love how the movie feels different but still relatable as I'm getting closer to her parents' age. Back to your take on media, though -- one thing I've appreciated is how much you focus on what writers do *right* (PLL obviously excepted for good reason). There's a lot of media deep dives out there talking about what writers do wrong, or why something was a bad adaptation. I really like that you're taking time to look at media you love and examine why you love it. It's helpful to me as a writer, but it's also made me excited to go back and rewatch some of these media properties I haven't thought of in years. Anyway, thank you for all of the energy you've poured into these videos and I'm excited to see what you do next.

[@JeniJustJeni]

Of course I subscribed, you're a good communicator talking about subjects I like. Keep being you.

[@DarkDragonDMS]

Honestly olive is a character I resonated with A LOT as a teen. Probably one of my favourite movies. Also thanks for the video. I loved experiencing it again through your lens. Keep up the good work!

[@sierra5877]

Your last video popped up on my suggested a few weeks ago and I watched it and thought it was great, so when this one showed up I naturally clicked on it. I am completely blown away when I find out your this little channel with three videos only. They were so well done I would have thought you’ve been putting these out for years! Keep making these video essays you are a natural and great at it. Years from now I can be like hey I was in Sloan Stowe’s first 2000 subscribers 😆👊

[@queencazza4979]

Love how in depth you went on this movie - I never understood exactly why I was able to watch this dvd over and over, but you've explained everything I love about it so well. Wished they were my parents 😅

[@alicialimon9103]

I love this movie with all my heart and have rewatched it many times over the years since its release. I’ve been waiting for someone to make a video like this and you’ve done it so much justice I can’t wait to continue to watch this channel grow!

[@0u0ak]

Nice honest deep dive analysis. I've enjoyed all of your reviews - they always leave me with something to think about - which is a rare talent.

[@BovinaSancta79]

"If that's out connection, I should just date everyone in school" That line made me laugh out loud! Really good stuff! I was about 30 when this came out. I remember liking it quite s bit, and found it very enjoyable. Eh though I might not be the target audience. I just liked Olive, the quippy dialogue, and its charm. I never picked up on the fact that Rhiannon was in love with Olive when I saw it. But hearing you say it now does makes sense. It honestly makes me like the movie more. Kinda wanna see it again now. Thanks for an interesting video!

[@emmythorn]

Also!!! I would have never realized from the way your videos are, because they come off to me as like basically professional, but i had no idea you were such a new channel!! Im so glad youre here and the work youre doing is really good, entertaining, and makes a lot of good points. Thank you for the video!