Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Written by Edgar Wright, Michael Bacall
Starring Michael Cera, Ellen Wong, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Anna Kendrick
Edgar Wright has done something few directors will ever accomplish; he created his own visual language. In Scott Pilgrim Vs the World' Edgar Wright brought together the worlds of video games, comic books, and movies in a way that many have dreamed of but no one else has achieved. It is a blindingly entertaining combination. Even more than a decade later Scott Pilgrim vs the World remains the ultimate uniting of the movie, comic book and video game genres.
Michael Cera stars as Scott Pilgrim, a bassist in a Toronto pop rock group whose name is some incomprehensible combination of Sex and Bob and something. They are awesome. Scott's real story however is that he is dating a teenager, Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), to the endless mocking delight of his band mates (Allison Pill, Mark Webber and Johnny Simmons) and his sister, Stacy (Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick).
The relationship is doomed however, not by the derision of his friends and family but rather by Scott's encounter with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) an American girl with pink hair, a punk sensibility, and no apparent interest in him. This does not stop Scott from pining for her and eventually getting a chance to hang with her. That Scott is a genuinely good guy keeps this from being one of those creepy, nice guy irritates a girl into dating him stories.
Naturally, this new relationship comes with obstacles. Emotional scars from our past almost always affect our current relationships but for Ramona, her emotional past comes in the physical form of seven evil exes. Scott must fight and defeat all 7 of Ramona's evil exes including former Superman Brandon Routh, the current Captain America, Chris Evans, a pair of twins, one bisexual surprise, a pair of DJ'ing twins, and Jason Schwartzman as the ultimate d-bag.
Plucky and in love as Scott is, he is a bit taken aback by the challenges involved in dating Ramona but he's also up for a fight and Scott Pilgrim Vs the World flies on Michael Cera's laconic neurotic approach to being a comic/video game superhero. Cera is at his best when he can relax and react as opposed to having to manufacture the laughs as he did in the abysmal Year One. He's very relaxed in Scott Pilgrim and it allows his natural comic instincts and charisma to shine through.
The supporting cast is top notch especially Kieran Culkin as Scott's gay roommate, Wallace, who shares a bed with Scott and his boyfriend who he calls Other Scott. Culkin matches Cera's energy perfectly and his gags register big laughs whether he's texting in his sleep or adding a second boyfriend to his stable of bedmates. Scott Pilgrim vs The World was ahead of its time in giving time to omni-sexual characters who aren’t defined by their sexual identity.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead does a remarkable job of making Ramona more than merely the motivation for Scott. She has a presence that holds the center of the movie together and is believable as a woman who could inspire people to fight to the death for her. Until her role in Scott Pilgrim vs the World Winstead had struggled to stand out amid a bevy of young stars appearing teen horror movies. Scott Pilgrim may not have broken her out into superstardom but it did help her establish a place where she could grow up and find better roles.
And, of course, there is Chris Evans. Scott Pilgrim vs the World provided Evans with the best role of his pre-Captain America career. Spoofing blow dried, doofus action heroes, Evans earns some of the biggest laughs in the movie and demonstrates range and charm that was missing from his vacant, lummox roles as teenage morons. I wholeheartedly believe that Captain America would not be possible for Evans if he hadn’t shown so much talent in Scott Pilgrim vs the World.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World is hilarious from beginning to end while also having a big romantic heart. Michael Cera is just so much fun in this role and paired with Edgar Wright's incredible visual sensibilities, we have a can't miss pairing. Then there is that supporting cast. It's not hard to imagine the cast of Scott Pilgrim vs The World as part of the future of Hollywood.
