Easy A MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +1 Content: -4

Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes. Comedy. Written by Bert V. Royal, Will Gluck. Directed by Will Gluck.

FILM SYNOPSIS: After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean-cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in The Scarlet Letter, which she is currently studying in school -- until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social standing. Then, for money, she aids nerds by letting them tell others that they had sexual encounters with her.


PREVIEW REVIEW: We Christians have a lot to answer for, because we don’t always do what the Lord teaches us. And sadly, being human often makes us look hypocritical. That would be an interesting subject for a film: to show an actual follower of Christ doing nine things right in accordance with biblical teaching, yet being judged by the world for that one error in judgment. If Hollywood ever produced such a scenario, it might get an interesting dialogue going among young people searching for spiritual direction. Mind you, I won’t hold my breath in anticipation of such a presentation of Christians. It’s evidently easier, more fun or more suitable for a filmmaker at war with God to have non-Believers play caricatures of people of faith. That’s what happens in Easy A, a film about high schoolers searching for ways to be accepted by their peers.

I can’t remember a film being so vitriolic in its attack on members of the Christian faith. Here the Christian youth group is seen reading the Bible, praying, singing songs, all the while showing nothing but hatred and bigotry toward their fellow students. There isn’t one single example of a person of faith being shown in a good light, not even when the lead goes to different churches seeking solace for her actions.

While I wouldn’t normally judge a person’s faith walk, it is evident to anyone who actually has accepted Christ as their Savior that the actors “playing” religious people have but one purpose, to mock them. In the film Christ is mocked, Christianity is mocked, and so are we Christians.

As to the film, its premise is interesting – showing how far someone will go in order to be accepted. The plot peters out, however, and we are left with a good-looking cast abusing the rights of a filmmaker. By having the freedom to belittle and misrepresent an entire religion, the script counters its very theme – to accept one another and show them respect.

My human nature was fuming at the representation of all Christians and wanting to knock each of those actors on their easy a’s. But on the drive home, the spiritual me prayed and began to feel true compassion for them and for writer/director Will Gluck (who also gave us Fired Up, another irreverent teen comedy). That kindness of soul, that reasoning, that patience comes from Christ (certainly not me), for He is the one who taught us to have love for those who consider us the enemy.

I know teens will want to see this film because of the subject matter, the pretty people and because it’s about those their same age. But I doubt they will find much satisfying other than looking at the pretty people. They will simply be faced again with another film dedicated to seeking man’s truth, not God’s. I get the impression that the makers of such youth comedies are so sure God doesn’t exist. For some reason, it never occurs to them that they might be wrong.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Sony Pictures