Talkin Pets

Patricia Clarkson (Rosemary), Cam Gigandet (Micah), Lisa Kudrow (Mrs. Griffith), Malcolm McDowell (Principal Gibbons), Alyson Michalka (Rhiannon), Stanley Tucci (Dill), Fred Armisen (Pastor), Juliette Goglia (Young Olive), Jake Sandvig (Anson) and Morgan Rusler (Mr. Abernathy).
Those days of high school at Ojai North are full of your typical student stereotypes, Rhi, the best friend with the blonde hair and big boobs, Brandon, the gay boy wanting to come out but since peer pressure is so rampant he is looking for an alibi to appear straight, Todd, the athlete, liked by all even though he’s a bit reserved and quiet unless on the basketball court as the blue devil turned woodchuck and Marianne, the religious right, out to convert everyone to find “Him” through the words of the bible.  Then there’s Olive, the unnoticed girl looking to break out and find her way through rumors, becoming the cool chic that suddenly everyone knows, all for many different reasons.  High school, those were the days or were they? 
It all started at the age of eight when Olive opened her heart to Todd by creating a rumor about their first kiss.  Now both in high school where rumors move faster than the speed of light, sometimes propelling a student’s personality yet sometimes destroying it as well.  Brandon comes to Olive with a plea after they’ve spent a day in detention together, in exchange for a gift card he asks that Olive say they slept together in order to help stop the bullying.  Olive agrees to help which in turn creates the ‘Scarlett Letter’ and an ‘A’ on Olive, easy as it may seem but not necessarily in the context one may hope for unless you want that kind of reputation.
Well the rumor mill is rampant, more gift cards, more favors, more lies, more pretend, more cats being thrown around school, so to speak!  Olive is now the center of attention by all, her teachers, her principal, her guidance counselor, her fellow students and her parents, who are very cool by the way.  But life at Ojai North is not a John Hughes film out of the 80’s but rather a Facebook nightmare where everyone knows your business. 
Everyone looks for acceptance in high school and sometimes seeking it in all the wrong places, leading to arguments, break ups, deceit, of course rumors and sometimes even chlamydia!  Thanks to the Rhino horn or the Spanish fly life is just not the same!  Albeit in the end, the truth will set you free and sometimes make those who helped to spread the rumors remorseful to say the least.  I said sometimes!  In the end, Olive goes out with a bang, not a fizzle with a little of the devil’s help while she knocked on wood.  Huckleberry Finn lives on and overall don’t you forget about me will always be music to one’s ears along with the lessons learned in high school 101.
The film is directed and written well, almost a modern day throw back to the great days of Molly Ringwald when she was the center of attention on the big screen.  The story has the right mix of laughter, romance, lessons, turmoil, and reflections of friendships past, all leading up to a visit by both guys and dolls.  Flashbacks to past films like “Sixteen Candles”, “The Breakfast Club” and others all tied in with a great score make this throwback to an entertaining young demographic film worth the box office ticket.
Emma Stone is great as the leading character bringing a sense of sass and brass to her character.  Badgley although not heavily utilized plays well as the knight in shining armor.  Bynes who said she was going to retire but hopefully not was perfect as always in this genre which is so fitting to her abilities as a comedic actress.  Church is the teacher we all wish we had in school.  Kudrow the guidance counselor many boys also wish they had in school although her character was not a far stretch to her acting abilities.  Byrd and Michalka were great supports to their scenes but it was mom and dad to Olive, Clarkson and Tucci that really stole many of their moments.  A fun film perfect for that date night but beware to the baby boomers it may bring back memories of days past or possibly may stir up some of those nasty rumors that run through the hallways of high school making you happy that those days are over.  This film is not worthy of the tagline, “Let’s not and say we did” because you should at least go see this film and you’ll be glad to say you did!  You might even have a Bouvier des Flandres sighting along the way!  Reporting, I’m Jon Patch.