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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Emma Stone’s an ‘A’ lister

easya

Credit should be given to the person who decided to give Emma Stone her own film.

Certainly, the cream of the post-’80s teen movie crop has often been adaptations of classic literature — “Clueless”  and “10 Things I Hate About You” come to mind — but drawing from “The Scarlet Letter” would probably repel most of the target audience were it not for Stone’s personal charm.

This faith in her ability is well rewarded. Bert V. Royal’s slick, snappy screenplay slides deftly from sweet to snidely sarcastic and showcases Stone’s spot-on delivery. And her co-stars aren’t far behind. Her parents and classmates are a joy to watch, particularly her fiery, foul-mouthed friend Rhiannon (Aly Michalka).

The script’s only major shortcoming is its avoidance of a significant part of the story: The “slut” vs. “stud” double standard. Even the whip-smart protagonist makes no comment about it — surprising given the insight she displays throughout the film. Still, its success at handling every other aspect of the story more than makes up for that oversight. Overall, an A film. Easily.

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