Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

[randy_byers]

Saw this with Denys at the Cinerama last night. This is a geek paradise, innit? Funny, sarcastic, smart, ironic, sincere, and a visually inventive evocation of the worlds of the comic book and the video game. It's the story of a 22-year-old Toronto slacker who falls for a transplanted New York goth girl. He has to fight her Seven Evil Exes to win her love. I laughed a lot. The verbal jokes are really good, and the visual style is lively and wonderfully anti-realist. Not really surreal, but free to move in any direction it wants and to communicate in a variety of ways, mixing animation, CGI, and in-camera tricks with abandon.

Now, the story it tells is a very traditional boy-meets-girl story that isn't as interesting as the verbal and visual stylization. In fact, I think the biggest weakness of the story is Ramona, the love interest. The actress does a good job of making her alluring, intelligent, and vulnerable, but the character really only exists to be Scott's love interest. I'll confess that in the complex ending, which goes through a couple of cycles of resolution, I was hoping the movie would defy convention and have Scott choose his sardonic old drummer girlfriend over the other options. I'm also curious whether the movie, which is full of smart, funny, kick-ass female characters (Ramona, Knives, Kim, Scott's sister, and the foul-mouthed Julie), actually passes the Bechdel Test.

But the wit and the energy of the film compensate for the conventional aspects. A party of a film, full of youthful piss and vinegar. I immediately wondered what my nephews would think of it.

Comments

[janetl.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed it a lot. Bollywood musical! Seinfeld Episode! Comic book graphics!

It absolutely doesn't pass the Bechdel test, but that's OK. It's all from the point of view of the self-absorbed, immature Scott so It's All About Him. But the women are indeed smart & kick-ass, and they come off just fine in the film compared to Scott.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

The gay room mate is pretty great too.

[janetl.livejournal.com]

Wallace is adorable!

[circusfolk.livejournal.com]

I did love that the gay roommate had his initials on his clothes. It sucks that the song by Metric has to be purchased as part of the album.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I'm so hopelessly out of it that I had never heard of Metric until you mentioned them. I suppose if you really, really hate them, you could just download every track except that one, even if it cost you more. Or you could download the whole album and delete that track? Or you could embrace the fact that it's not performed by them on the movie soundtrack? Meanwhile I'll confess that while I enjoyed the music while the movie was playing, I don't think I'll be picking up the soundtrack myself.

[circusfolk.livejournal.com]

What I meant was that there were only two songs I liked on the soundtrack. The one by Metric being one of them. I don't want to buy the whole album for 2 songs. I am sure if I search I can find it somewhere as a solo item.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Oops, I get it now. Well, I'm so hopelessly out of it that I don't know where one might go about looking for the solo item! Doesn't look like Amazon is any help.