Last night I jumped at the opportunity to see one of my favourite films on the big screen at the fantastic Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds. So armed with a sharing sized pack of chocolate buttons (does anyone seriously share those?!) I settled in to watch a film that rewards me every time.
Full disclosure, I like films, comic books, and video games, so I am predisposed to enjoy a film based on a comic inspired by video games. However there are plenty of awful comic book movies, and I shudder to think about video game adaptions, so Scott Pilgrim was never a sure thing. Scott (Michael Cera - who else?) is no Superman, he’s just a regular Canadian 22 year old, getting over a bad break up and trying to get his band Sex Bob-Omb off the ground. His world is turned upside down when he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and, for reasons less complicated than you’d think, he has to defeat her 7 evil ex’s to be with her. Standard stuff then.
The film is remarkably well cast. Between 2007 and 2009 Michael Cera had starred in Superbad, Juno, andYouth in Revolt among others, and so by 2010 he was at the height of his awkward powers. Cera gives a deceptively easy performance as Scott, a character who is funny, cringeworthy, confident, shy, awkward, jealous, and most importantly relatable. He is the key to the film, because Scott makes some bad decisions and the audience has to still route for him in the end, and Cera pulls this off with easygoing charm. Apparently Kevin Smith likened Scott to Bugs Bunny, and the comparison is a compelling one as Scott relies on resourcefulness to beat the odds. Winstead more than holds her own as the enigma that is Ramona Flowers. She has the looks and grace of the “it-girl” however she is much more than that. Actually my favourite Ramona moments are not when she is the unattainably mysterious cool girl, but when she is normal, for example turning up on time to meet Scott, or telling him to act like a grown up. Winstead manages to sell vulnerability and confidence with just a look, every bit the girl worth fighting seven evil ex’s for! The pair are no slouches in the action department either, while the film is pretty cg heavy, they and other cast members went through considerable martial arts training for the fight sequences.
The supporting cast are all memorable in their own way. Chris Evans and Brandon Routh are clearly enjoying themselves in cameos as evil ex-boyfriends, while the other members of Scott’s band have great chemistry and some wicked lines - particularly Alison Pill. Special mention goes to Kieran Culkin as Wallace - Scott’s ‘cool gay roommate’. Culkin is wickedly funny, charming, and an absolute scene stealer. Jason Schwartzman oozes slime and arrogance in a similar vein to Ben Stiller’s White Goodman in Dodgeball, making the final boss battle immensely satisfying.
Anyone who is aware of Edgar Wright as a director, most famously for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, will know that he has a certain visual flair. Scott Pilgrim contains plenty of the Wright Stuff, his trademark fast cuts, closeups, and impeccably timed visual gags. Wright’s natural creativity and wit is well matched by Bill Pope’s cinematography. Known for The Matrix and Spiderman films, Pope sets up some truly stunning shots, and while there are many striking visual effects shots, there are plenty of examples of good old fashioned practical filmmaking in there - including a striking shot of Scott and Ramona sat on the swings. Wright has described Scott Pilgrim as the main character in a film playing in his own head, and so the film looks like the fantasies of a 22 year old slacker, complete with handy scorecards rating how awesome the band members are, and a pinwheel in Scott’s head as he picks an excuse. There is substance to the style, the script contains gags aplenty as well as moments with real heart, there are surprises and moments of victory, as well as an authentic and exhilarating soundtrack by Beck Hansen.
The comic/video game influence is always at the forefront of Scott Pilgrim, and sometimes this works very much in the film’s favour. There are jokes at the expense of well loved video games, and visual gags that take full advantage of comic book surrealism. However, there are times when the film’ pays too direct a homage to its influences. I found that some of the fight sequences were a little overlong, and while it may be fun to fight a boss battle if you’re holding the controller, it can be a little frustrating to watch. That said, at no point in Scott Pilgrim was I bored, and it would have been a grave mistake for the filmmakers to have tried to restrain themselves too much, much of the film’s charm comes from its cluttered, everything and the kitchen sink style. There are fingerprints all over the film, the end credits featuring hundreds of artists who turned Scott Pilgrim into a labour of love.
Scott Pilgrim deserves much wider recognition as a wonderfully creative and inventive film. It is an absolute joy to watch, richly rewarding for those who are fans of comics and video games, but also laugh out loud funny for those who are not. It is a love story, an indie comedy, a martial arts flick, a coming of age story, and so much more. Before the final battle, Kim Pine, drummer of Sex Bob-Omb, screams “WE ARE SEX BOB-OMB AND WE’RE HERE TO WATCH SCOTT PILGRIM KICK YOUR TEETH IN”, I have to agree that sounds like a damn fine plan for an evening.
WHO: Kieran Culkin makes comedy look easy.
WHAT: Scott’s haircut.
WHY: The eye-popping visuals practically demand your attention.
WHEN: If your local cinema is doing a late night screening then go to that! If not it’s an ideal unwinder after a busy day.
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