Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Synopsis: Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes in order to win her heart.
After spotting fuschia-haired Ramona Flowers at the library, Scott Pilgrim is convinced she’s his dream girl. There are only two problems. One, he’s already dating a high school senior, and two, Ramona comes with a bit of baggage⊠namely, her seven evil exes whom Scott must fight and defeat in order to keep dating her.
Despite having seen plenty of images and gifs of this movie online, this was my first time watching Scott Pilgrim. It was easy to see why this movie has such a cult following. I loved Edgar Wright’s direction and brisk pacing. I had no idea just how many up-and-coming stars were in this film, either. I was impressed by the visual effects, and they added a much-needed punch (kapow!) to a pretty simple story.
Michael Cera does what Michael Cera does best as a lovelorn slacker who tries to win the heart of the quintessential Cool Girl by being equal parts sweet and awkward. Scott’s not exactly leading man material, nor is Cera, so the casting worked out perfectly. Scott is human and flawed and can, at times, be a bit of a dick. He shouldn’t be dating a seventeen-year-old girl either, but you do feel for her when she starts to sense that Scott’s interest wanes after he’s laid eyes on Ramona.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is alluring and vulnerable as Ramona, making it easy to see why someone may want to punch a hole in the moon for her. The standout for me was Kieran Culkin as Scott’s roommate Wallace. He’s a gossip with the film’s best one-liner, and Wallace also serves as Scott’s conscience, pointing out the obvious, giving Scott advice he needs to hear, whether he follows through with it or not.
I especially enjoyed the fight scenes between Scott and Ramona’s evil exes. The exes were all ridiculous in their own right, but they were still a lot of fun. Chris Evans and Brandon Routh were especially funny as a growly-voiced action star and a dimwitted vegan. I couldn’t find any actual weak link in the cast. They all seemed to be having a blast making the film, and every actor took full advantage of their screen time, even if it only seemed to be a few minutes.
While I did enjoy watching Ramona and Scott’s relationship blossom, I was more invested in the style of the movie than the actual plot. I wanted to see how the movie would approach the next evil ex-fight or what pop culture sequences would transition us into the next scene. Honestly, Scott Pilgrim might have felt bland and flat without the video game, music video, and comic book visuals. There is not a lot going on underneath the dazzling effects. It has a lot of humor, but I think it could have been used more in terms of the story.
At the end of the day, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a delightfully creative movie with a kinetic energy that kept me invested until the credits.
Watched: 08/29/2020
Notable Song: Ramona by Beck
Katy
September 12, 2020Nice review! I agree. Without the special effects, I didn’t quite care for the story or characters. The cast is fun to watch, but I wasn’t exactly drawn into the love triangle. Edgar’s pacing of the comedy and one-liners is crazy good.
Sara
September 14, 2020Yeah, the special effects really made the movie. I wasn’t drawn into the love triangle either, mostly because I knew it wasn’t a legit love triangle where he could conceivably choose Knives (I mean, she’s seventeen…) But I do enjoy Edgar Wright’s films!