Scott Pilgrim vs the World [review]...by IMTHATDUDE

Scott Pilgrim vs the World
by IMTHATDUDE

This one goes out to MissDTM -

Dopeness... almost. Scott Pilgrim vs the World (SPvW) was real close to being just plain dopey, but made me laugh enough to take it out of the realm of kitsch. SPvW was wholly imaginative and original; it’s no wonder my artsy (sorry, I know a lot of you don’t like that term, but I think people would be confused if I called you all the “A-word”) friends loved this film so much with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shuan of the Dead) at the helm. Wright also co-writes SPvW with Michael Bacall (Bookies) based on the work of Bryan Lee O’Malley.

The title character is played by Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno), but at this point one wonders whether he is actually acting… food for thought (don’t think too long…okay, you should be done by now… quit it!). Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof) plays Ramona Flowers, Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air) is Stacey Pilgrim, Ellen Wong is Knives Chau, Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreations, Funny People) is Julie Powers, Jason Schwartzman (who I think is kind of hilarious despite the fact that he owes me $12 plus interest for having to sit through the Darjeeling Limited) is Gideon Graves, and Kieran Culkin (McCauley’s brother, but I defy you to tell me the difference) is Wallace Wells. Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) also makes an appearance in this flick as the Todd the Vegan.

IF YOU MUST KNOW:

The story is simple. Scott (Cera), a 20 something nerdy jobless guitar player, is dating Knives (Wong) a uniform wearing high-schooler - it’s totally cool though because they haven’t done anything yet, so he’s totally not a perv. He’s just – ummm – what’s the word… “PREvert” (you know, a burgeoning pervert). Basically he’s somewhere between this…



and this…



Anyway, Scott has recently had his heart broken by his previous girlfriend and clearly has some serious emotional baggage as he has to deal with the fact that his ex has now obtained some pop-star Avril Levigne type success and is about as ubiquitous as a Lady Gaga joint. Anyway, Scott stumbles his corny ass upon the mysterious Ramona Flowers (Winstead) who comes with a little baggage of her own. Well, she kinda comes with a set of baggage. A slew of Ramona’s exes have banded together and in order for Scott to date Ramona, he must defeat her seven evil exes in battle.

I know, I know. This aint Atonement – be grateful. SPvW takes on a videogame-esque feel as Scott faces the evil exes and battles them for the right to date Ramona. I can’t tell you too much more than that except this was wildly imaginative and surprisingly funny. Even the fake thugs in the theater were cracking up, but you also have to pay attention. Wright (that’s the director, stay with me people, we’re almost there) finds a way to make this movie utterly entertaining without making it totally annoying. That is a major-MAJOR accomplishment given how gimmicky it is. SPvW gives you guitar solos AND kung-fu fights straight out of the old school gamers’ archives along with Batman type special effects (60’s TV Show Batman, not “Why so serious?” Heath Ledger/Christian Bale Batman). How many movies can you say give you guitars, jokes, kung fu, and video games and even a little Bollywood? Yeah, I said it. There’s a little bit of Bollywood thrown in the flick, just for good measure. ASIDE: That was one diverse and progressive a$$ Canadian town.

So… funniest stuff to look out for are the little popup information bubbles, almost anything Kieran Culkin did (that sleep texting thing is pure comedy), and the battle between Scott and the Todd the Vegan. “Chicken Parm’s not vegan?” Young and old people (by old I mean north of 35… What? I kid), knuckleheads and chuckleheads alike all found the movie funny. I think you will too – but I think it falls in the category of movies that once I’ve seen it, I don’t need to watch it again for a really really long time.

That Dude gives SPvW: 3.5 (although I’d like to add another ½ for that chicken parm line)

RATING SYSTEM:

1. They make crap this pure?
2. Couldn’t be more under-whelmed.
3. Not too shabby, I won’t ask for my money back.
4. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good./Worth the 12 bucks.
5. Why are you reading this and not seeing this movie? Jackass.