Scott Pilgrim Vs the World

Written by: Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright

Dir: Edgar Wright

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwarzman

Rating: 4/5

Scott Pilgrim (Cera) is a 22 year-old geek living in a bedsit with his gay best friend (Culkin) and trying to get his beloved band The Sex Bob-Ombs a record deal. He is dating hyperactive, 17-year old Knives but has recently fallen madly in love with the girl of his dreams, Ramona (Winstead). Not only must he shake off the teenage girlfriend, but he must fight to the death with Ramona’s “Seven Evil Exes”, all of whom are his physical superior.

Lucky for Scott, not only is this film set in a world of videogame logic, but it is also set in a universe where Scott makes the rules. This should have been called “Scott Pilgrim RULES the World”, because he is clearly the master of his own fate, despite lacking in confidence and grace. If Twilight is wish-fulfillment for dull teenage girls then Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is the same for nice but nerdy young men. Scott’s journey may be filled with Bollywood action heroes, Hollywood action heroes and evil record producers but at the heart of the story it is about one man’s attempt to have enough self-respect to win the respect of the girl of his dreams. This task is harder than it looks, especially considering it takes him 90% of the film to figure out his mission.

This film is so full of hipster aesthetic and attitude that it really should have been irritatingly “too cool for school” and, although it does wander into that territory at times, it is forgiven because of its sparkling wit and its big heart. The story is full of larger than life characters and situations but never falters when it comes to engaging the audience emotionally. Scott fits into his group of friends so intrinsically that their sense of closeness helps the audience to transcend the over-the-top scenarios and feel a sense of danger at the most basic level, not that Scott will be turned into a handful of coins, but that his close-knit group will be torn apart. It is on this level that, for all the silly graphics and too-hip soundtrack , Scott Pilgrim is a successful rom-com.

Adventure, excitement and a campy sense of nerdiness, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gives us some hilarious villains, some delightful supporting characters and most importantly, a loveable hero played perfectly by Michael Cera who may be accused of being a limited thespian, but he’s a genius at what he does well! Colourful, unique and limitless in its ability to entertain, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is incredibly fun and energetic. Not to be missed, unless you’re a cranky old codger!

-          Charlene Lydon

(For www.frankthemonkey.com)