Viewed – 28 April 2011  Blu-ray

They say personality goes a long way, and when it comes to actress Emma Stone, that personality has meant for some of the most likable comedic performances of the last few years, from a supporting turn in The House Bunny, to a star-making role in Zombieland, and now this amiable teen comedy.  Stone plays Olive, a normal teenage girl who goes unnoticed by her fellow school friends.  Yet when a lie about a one night stand is spread throughout the school, she soon finds her social life enlivened and her popularity, especially with the male pupils sky-rocket.  Appealed by this new-found popularity, she chooses to keep the lie going by allowing social outcast guys to boast about having sex with her to boost their own standing, but as you can probably imagine, it’s not long before things spiral out of control.

Emma Stone is marvelous as Olive, with dry humour, a quirky personality and makes every moment her own.  Surrounding cast members, such as Stanley Tucci as her father, and Malcolm MacDowell as the Principle also stand out as does a cameo from Friend’s star Lisa Kudrow.  Ok, it’s a little hard to fathom Stone’s initial lack of popularity with the fellas, considering her obvious beauty and sex appeal, and some of the characters are a little clichéd, such as the jesus-freak gossip, the cool teacher, the flamboyant best friend and the token gay guy.  But this boarders on nit-picking for a movie that is very sharply observed, has some clever nods to the best 80s teen comedies such as Ferris Buellar’s Day Off and The Breakfast Club, and even parts that tug at the heart-strings.  But at the end of the day, this is Emma Stone’s movie, and she delivers absolutely making whatever she turns her hand to next, a very exciting prospect.

Verdict:  4 /5

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