The biggest problem with reviewing Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is coming up with enough different ways to say epic and awesome. The film starts with the Universal Pictures logo and theme tune rendered as if in a video game and things only skyrocket to greatness from there. However, in the interest of full disclosure I should point out that I’ve never read the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels so I can’t speak at all as to how the film deviates from the source material, nor can I tell whether or not the hardcore fans will hate this adaptation. I can only tell you that for 112 minutes in a darkened theater I experienced a film that was full of epic and awesome.
For those who don’t know, the premise of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is thus: In Toronto, 23 year old Scott Pilgrim, bassist for up and coming band Sex Bob-omb, is getting over his ex by dating high schooler Knives Chau. Unfortunately for Knives, Scott soon meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers. Unfortunately for Scott, Romona has seven evil exes who have formed The League of Evil Exes and Scott must defeat each of them in order to win Romona’s heart. Wacky hi-jinks, video game style fights and much awesomeness (See? Told you) ensues.
I’ve never been much of a Michael Cera fan, but he is perfectly cast as the bemused and unlikely chick magnet Scott Pilgrim. Scott might be socially inept, but steps up when it comes time to throw down with the evil exes and Cera changes his performance accordingly and effortlessly. Mary Elizabeth Winstead continues to prove she has serious acting chops with her understated performance as Romona Flowers. Exes can always provide uncomfortable encounters with a new beau, but Romona’s take that to a new level and Winstead does a marvelous job at expressing Romana’s frustration and, sometimes, ambivalence, at each showdown. Sex Bob-omb is rounded out by Mark Webber and Alison Pine, who both light up any scene in which they appear. The League of Evil Exes are wonderful, especially Brandon Routh, Mae Whitman, Jason Schwartzman and Chris Evans. There is a truly inspiring use of the real Universal theme with Evans’ character that will make you never be able to hear that jingle again without giggling.
Anna Kendrick, who recently held her own opposite George Clooney in Up In The Air, plays Scott’s sister Stacey and nearly steals every scene she’s in. Kendrick was robbed at the Oscars and deftly reminds you why here. She is the only Twilight Saga actor that has already done great films outside of the vampire teen schmaltz and hopefully those films will be nothing more than a blip on what is sure to be an amazing career. And then there is Kieran Culkin as Scott’s gay roommate Wallace Wells. It seems implausible that an actor could have a career-making role before they reach 30, but Culkin may just have that with his sublime performance as Wallace. Between this and last year’s Lymelife, Kieran is proving to be the most talented of the Culkin brood and I look forward to his next film.
Edgar Wright directing this film made it a must-see for me. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz proved that he can bring the absurdly funny while maintaining a semi-serious narrative and delivering characters that we can care about. He has an uncanny knack for putting the right actor in the right role and bringing out their best. Visually, this film never stops moving and has a surrealism that, in the hands of a less capable director, could have quickly gone out of control and overwhelmed the film. Wright masterfully weaves everything together into a rich tapestry that is a joy to behold. Much like David Fincher’s Fight Club, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World plays with the film format to bring forth something new and vibrant. My first thought upon leaving the theater was, “I have got to see that again!”
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is an exceptional movie, both epic and awesome, and is worthy not only of your hard-earned dollars, but also your time. See it in the theater and see it now, then rinse and repeat. Movie watching should always be this fun.