Watercooler Pick
Scott Pilgrim vs The World
- Movie
- Where to Find It: Netflix, Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play
- Rating: PG-13
- Release Date: August 13, 2010
- Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
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An awkward young bassist of an unknown indie rock band, Scott Pilgrim is torn between two girls — a Chinese Canadian high schooler named Knives Chau, and a mysterious, frequent-hair-changing girl named Ramona Flowers, who enters Scott’s life after popping up in one of his dreams. The only catch with Ramona is that she has seven evil exes that Scott Pilgrim has to defeat – one by one – in order to date her. Each ex has an even more cartoonishly impressive skill than the last, and the fights continue to get more difficult as Scott adjusts to the idea of combat.
Directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), the all-star cast includes Michael Cera (as Scott), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (as Ramona), Kieran Culkin, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Jason Schwartzman, Ellen Wong, and many others. The musician Beck contributed many of the songs.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World presents itself in such a uniquely stylized way, its immensely offbeat and quirky personality will rope you in.
While it’s a live action film, it takes place in its own cartoonish form of reality, with creatively executed transitions that punctuate the film and enhance the witty, dead-pan comedy while still conveying its emotional themes.
The video game-like editing and narratives provide a super fun through line to the film. As Scott takes on his girlfriend’s evil exes, the fight scenes become more and more over the top, with humor sprinkled throughout, crescendoing into a trippy and epic final fight.
The insanely stacked cast begins with Michael Cera running the show, and he knocks it out of the park with his portrayal of this geeky, silly, young adult in such a hilarious and perfect way that it is impossible not to root for him.
Each character has a distinct role that is vital to the comedy dynamic. From the gossiping but undeniably funny gay roommate, Wallace (Kieran Culkin), to his bandmate’s off kilter and somewhat creepy girlfriend, Julie (Aubrey Plaza), the characters each have a specific imprint on the movie that do nothing but complement plot and deliver an enjoyable experience.
A fun, comical, unexpected breath of fresh air, Scott Pilgrim vs the World blends cleverly crafted action with a story about how to deal with the pain of young love. It shows us the importance of honesty and how to accept ourselves and move on, shifting our focus from the past to the present.
Rated PG-13, you can watch it with anybody and everybody (10 on up I’d say). It really is a movie for all kinds of people and can put anyone in a good mood. It could be seen as directed more towards a teen audience, but it can absolutely be enjoyed by anyone.
The movie has a phenomenal soundtrack that is worth listening to on its own. There is also a Scott Pilgrim animated series that was just released on Netflix, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, which focuses more on Ramona and is voiced by the original actors in the movie.
Where to stream it: Netflix or on-demand (for a fee) at Apple, Vudu, Google Play.
- Moods: find me fun, make me laugh, romance me, take me back, up my adrenaline
- Interests: classic, family friendly, heroes/heroines, original, romance, star power
Sean Findley
