Scott Pilgrim vs. the WorldLove hurts; for Scott Pilgrim, that includes ninja kicks and dragon punches. Adapted from the indie comic by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a unique spin on a romantic comedy, which focuses on the anxieties and insecurities of the titular character--Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera)--about his dream girl (in all fairness, she did appear to him in a dream first), Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and his awkward attempts to show his attraction to her. But Ramona carries some baggage; more accurately, her baggage (read: seven evil exes) stalk her and stomp out any attempts for her to get involved with anyone else ever again.
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The thing about Scott is, well, he's a bit socially immature, and actually kind of conceited--and frankly, he's carrying a good deal of baggage, too. Still harboring resentment over his ex-girlfriend Natalie/Envy (Brie Larson) when she dumped him and went off to form a more successful band, Scott begins a hollow relationship with a seventeen-year old high school girl, Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), in large part to stroke his own ego, viewing her as little more than a social accessory and inevitable groupie for his own rock band, Sex Bob-omb. Apparently, Scott has something of a reputation for this, being often criticized for his shallow approaches to relationships as a tonic for his own inability to move on from his previous breakup, by the likes of his sister, Stacey (Anna Kendrick), and his avowed gay roommate, Wallace (Kieran Culkin), and even another of his exes and fellow band member, Kim (Alison Pill). So when Scott expresses his destined attraction to a girl he doesn't even know, well...they don't exactly take him at face value. But through a combination of awkward tenacity and dorky charm, he does manage to sweet talk Ramona into giving him a shot. Problem is, Ramona has left a wake of discarded exes behind her, and they all converge on Scott out of jealously, a kind of martial arts metaphor for his own negativity that threatens to consume him if he isn't careful. Almost every confrontation with Ramona's exes is a punctuation, underscoring Scott's own low self-esteem in contrast with the awe-inspiring coolness (and powers) of her super-villain-like stable of old flames. Just as any guy who discounts his own self-worth might feel less than adequate in the face of cooler-than-thou rock star bassists or skateboarding action movie heroes, Scott's fear of getting his butt kicked is really his fear of not being good enough for the girl he loves. It is interesting that Scott really changes as his relationship with Ramona broadens. Perhaps it's because he's actually interested in learning more about Ramona, even if it is her ugly past, and even if it is to enlighten him about the persistent and looming threat of pugilism--ultimately, Scott is, even by force, trying to learn more about her and even himself.
Edgar Wright directs and co-wrote the screenplay for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which is crammed full with sight gags and pop culture references primarily centered around video game culture. Drenched deep in the seas of adolescent nostalgia for Nintendo, Street Fighter, and more, the film approaches the ultra-stylized action and martial arts play with the same kind of imagination that might be found in the "player one" rich mental landscape of a young adult like Scott. Rather than present the homage and references in a disparaging way, Wright marries the action and excitement of this veritable fireworks show of score multipliers and exploding enemies into coins with the satisfying sense that Scott is not only fighting for Ramona, but his own inner demons. Ultimately, Scott is in a better place because of his tribulation, accepting his mistakes and moving on from them rather than letting himself continue to be bogged down in the mire of his own self-defeat. It's an important message, but the film thrives when it is showing us in so many digital effects rather than preaching. When Scott Pilgrim vs. the World debuted, people I was around--heavily involved in gamer culture--raved about the film with ecstatic exaltation, proclaiming it as a "gamer love story", et al. Frankly, the heaped on praise had me apprehensive to approach the film until sufficient hype had died down so as to not color my viewing. But, like Scott, as I got over myself and managed to simply enjoy the film for what it is--a novel and striking mix of adolescent romance, kung fu, and knowing humor--you could say it was a real game chang...ah, nah, we won't go there.
Recommended for: Fans of a fun and charming tale of a young man who learns to contain his heart and get a life. Ugh, I hate myself for that. Seriously, it's a cute story which should resonate with guys who should take a cue from Scott and not let their negativity keep them from enjoying living and loving.
Edgar Wright directs and co-wrote the screenplay for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which is crammed full with sight gags and pop culture references primarily centered around video game culture. Drenched deep in the seas of adolescent nostalgia for Nintendo, Street Fighter, and more, the film approaches the ultra-stylized action and martial arts play with the same kind of imagination that might be found in the "player one" rich mental landscape of a young adult like Scott. Rather than present the homage and references in a disparaging way, Wright marries the action and excitement of this veritable fireworks show of score multipliers and exploding enemies into coins with the satisfying sense that Scott is not only fighting for Ramona, but his own inner demons. Ultimately, Scott is in a better place because of his tribulation, accepting his mistakes and moving on from them rather than letting himself continue to be bogged down in the mire of his own self-defeat. It's an important message, but the film thrives when it is showing us in so many digital effects rather than preaching. When Scott Pilgrim vs. the World debuted, people I was around--heavily involved in gamer culture--raved about the film with ecstatic exaltation, proclaiming it as a "gamer love story", et al. Frankly, the heaped on praise had me apprehensive to approach the film until sufficient hype had died down so as to not color my viewing. But, like Scott, as I got over myself and managed to simply enjoy the film for what it is--a novel and striking mix of adolescent romance, kung fu, and knowing humor--you could say it was a real game chang...ah, nah, we won't go there.
Recommended for: Fans of a fun and charming tale of a young man who learns to contain his heart and get a life. Ugh, I hate myself for that. Seriously, it's a cute story which should resonate with guys who should take a cue from Scott and not let their negativity keep them from enjoying living and loving.