Every once in a great while, there will come along a movie that is so brazenly original and unlike anything else that it just takes my breath away. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was one of those movies. With a fantastic, rapid fire sense of humor and a unique visual style makes for one of the most memorable movies I've seen in the last decade.
Scott Pilgrim (played by Michael Cera) is a simple creature, living in a one room apartment with his gay roommate Wallace Wells (played by Kieran Culkin) and dating high school student Knives Chau (played by Ellen Wong), who he has fallen out of love with but can't bring himself to break up with her. He is also in an indie rock band, Sex Bob-Omb, with fellow band mates Stephen Stills (played by Mark Webber), Young Neil (played by Johnny Simmons) and Kim Pine (played by Allison Pill). At a party one night, Scott catches a glimpse of Ramona Flowers (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He is able to work up the nerve to talk to her and get a date with her. The problem is that in dating Ramona, he has unwittingly agreed to fight Ramona's seven evil exes. As one shows up after another, Scott finds himself literally fighting for Ramona's heart while fending off opponents as varied as Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Mae Whitman and Jason Schwartzman.
The film is based on the comic book series by Bryan Lee O'Malley and director Edgar Wright draws directly from the source material in the design of the film, recreating entire comic panels on screen complete with text sound effects. The film takes place in a hyper-reality that co-exists with a sort of video game reality (for example, the defeated exes burst into coins as a score appears in blinking numbers on screen or when Scott says he's getting a life, he grabs an extra life icon out of the air), drawing inspiration from classic 8-Bit Nintendo games. The film has a rapid fire pace that leaps from one moment to another while rarely pausing to catch it's breath, with the jokes coming fast and furious. Naturally, it's a movie that rewards re-watching as the viewer will inevitably miss stuff on the first viewing (I know I did). It's hard to really describe the film beyond that. It has a unique style all to itself that really defies definition. It can fly off into a flight of fantasy at any moment and yet the film works. It's a film that is completely unique to itself and that is part of it's charm. If you can get into it's own oddball, madcap spirit, you're almost guaranteed to have a blast with it.
The acting in the film is great with Michael Cera making the perfect offbeat slacker hero that is Scott Pilgrim. Whether he's playing in his band, trying to dodge Knives or on a date with Ramona, there is a sense to Scott that he's a little oblivious to others around him especially people he's been in a relationship with, such as bandmate Kim. Yet, he also seems a bit lost and doesn't think that highly of himself either. Beyond all the flash and action, the film is really a coming of age tale of Scott growing up and gaining some self respect. Of course, the film could also be taken as an over the top analogy of a man-child trying to deal with the sexual history of his new girlfriend. Either way, Cera manages to capture it quite well. Likewise, we have Kieran Culkin as Scott's sidekick/roommate, who tries to help Scott the best he can but he's also more interested in hitting on other guys, especially if they wear glasses. He also gets some of the best lines of the film, which Culkin delivers masterfully. Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes a nice sense of intriguing mystery to Ramona and it's easy to see why Scott would be into her. She has a sharp wit about her as well and a real independent spirit as well that was probably developed after so many bad relationships. On the opposite side of the spectrum we have Ellen Wong as Knives Chau. Her relationship with Scott is very innocent and sweet and Ellen Wong does a great job portraying that, as well as given a lot of energy to her performance as well as she pretty much is Sex Bob-Omb's first and only groupie.
The League of Evil Exes are a great group of extended cameos. Chris Evans shows up as Lucas Lee, a famous film star that was Ramona's second boyfriend, which leads to an amusing fight scene between Lucas and Scott on a film set, with Lucas' stunt team getting in on the action. I could tell that Evans was having a blast playing the self absorbed Lee. Likewise Brandon Routh turns up as Ramona's third ex, Todd Ingram, a bass player and super-powered vegan (because being vegan makes you better than anyone else apparently). I could tell Routh was having fun with the role as well, especially since Todd isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Mae Whitman is great fun as the one girl in the group, Roxy (Ramona had a "sexy phase," as Scott puts it). It's particularly amusing to see Whitman and Cera duking it out as they had played a couple on the show Arrested Development earlier, with Whitman playing the bland and forgettable
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World remains a bold breath of fresh air even seven years after it's release. It moves at a breakneck speed with rapid fire jokes and a very unique design and sense of world building. I hadn't seen a movie like it before I saw it and I still haven't. Part of me hopes I never do so it can remain the unique filmmaking treat it always has been.
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