Movie Review: 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
Michael Cera aside, Edgar Wright captures the spirit of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series
Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman of 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
Credit: Universal Pictures
Contrary to what you may have heard from my podcasting partner, I don't actually hate Michael Cera.
Quite the opposite. In the balance, between "Arrested Development," "Superbad" and "Juno" (and even "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and "Paper Heart"), I'd say that I like him quite a bit.
He just didn't fit my image of Scott Pilgrim when he was cast as the lead in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and even after watching Edgar Wright's adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's beloved series of graphic novels, my opinion remained unchanged. Did I go in with a negative predisposition? Well of course I did. It's the same way any of us goes into a filmed version of a familiar book or TV show unconvinced by a piece of casting (or so excessively convinced at a piece of casting perfection that we're blind to unrealized potential). You do it. I do it.
Guess what? I'm not changin' my mind. Cera gives a decent performance in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," but what he gives is a Michael Cera performance, augmented slightly by decently performed stunt work and simulated musicianship. He doesn't really embody the Scott Pilgrim of the books and, somewhat more damning, he also doesn't deliver the arc that's specified in Wright and Michael Bacall's script. In a movie that very much intends to be nothing less than transformative for the medium-at-large, Cera's failure to transform himself is less-than-ideal.
But guess what? Like the line from "Meatballs" says, it just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter because even if Cera never becomes convincing, Wright has orchestrated a film with so much energy, so much style and populated by so many terrific supporting performances, that its central deficiency is masked. Yes, Scott Pilgrim becomes an afterthought in a film that has his name in the title, but it ends up being Wright's whiz-bang pop culture joy that's the real star of this sweet, funny, exciting film.
[More after the break...]
I'm not gonna get all indie rock on you and say that I was a fan of O'Malley's "Scott Pilgrim" books from the very beginning. A friend introduced me to Scott, an unemployed 20-something Torontonian facing a very peculiar romantic dilemma, shortly before the third book was published.
Still barely a 20-something myself at that point and still somewhat possessing dual citizenship and a working knowledge of Toronto, the books struck an immediate chord, though that level of specificity was never required. An uber-slacker with limited potential for upward mobility, clinging to the questionable aspirations of his so-so band, Scott faces maturity with a sense of heightened drama fueled by a childhood of comic books, video games, TV and movies. While some of the people around him are growing up, Scott is going backwards, launching into an entirely chaste relationship with 17-year-old Knives Chau (Ellen Wong in the film). He puts himself in a position where he can be sexless and effectively commitment free, at least until he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a Mysterious American.
When Scott falls instantly in love with Ramona, he also has recognize that adult love means recognizing that everybody comes with a past, that everybody comes with baggage. In this case, that baggage comes in the form of Ramona's seven evil exes. That Scott needs to engage in amplified combat with these exes makes for a funny conceit, but it's just a visualization of that moment in any relationship where you have to sit down and take stock of the people who came before you.
In O'Malley's books, the fights are just the scaffolding for a greater journey that Scott Pilgrim has to go through. Ramona is a fantasy woman, but as Scott attempts to prove himself worthy of her, they both end up discovering and tackling their imperfections and becoming more real. By the final book, released earlier this summer, the series had become a fascinating portrait of idealized memories and self-delusion, about the lies we tell ourselves to move on and the truths we have to understand to actually move forward and progress beyond an perpetual youth. If that weren't already pretentious enough, I'd call the series nearly Fellini-esque, an "I vitelloni" for our times.
[Ugh. I'm now faced with the desire to write an entirely new review that tries arguing "Scott Pilgrim" as the "I vitelloni" for the Sega generation, which may or may not beat my "It's Degrassi Meets Atari!" tag line. Neither quote is going to make its way onto the poster, I fear. Either way, the thesis comes down to discussing whether a whole generation of men have actually been emasculated by years of playing video games that make them hyper-masculine, but only in a fictional context. Or maybe that's just one possible thesis.]
In a perfect world, "Scott Pilgrim" would have been adapted as a trilogy at the very least. As a single film, and not even a particularly long single film, Edgar Wright's "Scott Pilgrim" can't help but be only one layer of Bryan Lee O'Malley's "Scott Pilgrim." It's "Nick and Norah's Mortal Kombat," which simultaneously sells Wright's execution short, but also indicates where Cera pushes the film. There's alternate version of the movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Scott Pilgrim that translates as "(500) Days of Street Fighter." Either way, the fights become the focus of the movie, rather than just the climax at the end of each chapter in Scott Pilgrim's personal evolution. Romance gets a strong second billing and Scott Pilgrim's growth as a adult is given only lip service, which might not be a disaster since regardless of what the script says, Cera has displayed only minimal growth by the film's end. In the process, a whole slew of characters who are fully developed in the book are left as one-note creations.
But they're glorious one-note creations and I could run through almost every supporting performance and rave. Wong is a spectacular Knives Chau, delivering the wide-eyed hyper-emotionalism of what is basically an anime fantasy brought to life. Kieran Culkin brings the perfect amount of resigned wisdom and louche amorality to Scott's gay roommate Wallace. Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza make the most of limited snarking opportunities as Scott's sister and his random adversary, respective. Alison Pill is so good with the world-weary frustration of this version of Kim Pine that I wished she could have played the richer character from the books. Brie Larson, in contrast, probably makes a more believable Envy Adams than the book was able to create.
And as for the exes, they're played by an assortment of scene-stealers who reveled at the chance to drop in for a week or two, chew on the scenery, upstage Cera and leave. Chris Evans gives the funniest performance, Mae Whitman the most emotional, Jason Schwartzman the most nuanced and Brandon Routh the most enjoyably douchy.
If Michael Cera wasn't the Scott Pilgrim in my mind as I was reading the book, Mary Elizabeth Winstead most certainly *is* the Ramona Flowers in my mind. Or at least she's the Ramona Flowers who took over for Shannyn Sossamon in my mind once it became clear that Shannyn Sossamon would be too old by the time the movie was made. I've already seen one or two critics complain that Ramona is needlessly enigmatic and a projection of male desire, as if there were an accident and not the entire construction of the character. Scott's difficulties understanding Ramona and coming to terms with her past stem from his own projected issues. It would make more sense if Cera didn't play the character with such passivity, but as in the book, Winstead's Ramona is protean fantasy creation who eventually gets to tackle her own issues.
[Side note: I think that the self-conscious acknowledgement of Ramona's near-mythic status in Scott's mind prevents her from being just another Manic Pixie Dream Girl. That she isn't all that manic also helps. She's just a dream girl, though Wright can't quite figure out what her being American has to do with anything.]
And yes, in the book it makes a lot more sense why she might be attracted to Scott. O'Malley's character is a good deal more mercurial, prone to great excitement and great depression. With that character, it's almost ironic that for all of his enthusiasms and wide-eyed passions, he can't be bothered to get a job or an apartment of his own, much less to commit to a relationship. With Cera, Pilgrim is just a child and you feel less urgency for him to mature at the same rate as his friends, because he seems to be younger than all of them.
But enough of that.
Seriously.
Beating the "'Scott Pilgrim' is better as a book than as a movie" dead horse doesn't accomplish anything and it probably needlessly overshadows just how much I enjoyed "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World."
At some point, Edgar Wright will make a movie or TV show that isn't a pastiche of his various entertainment influences, but I wouldn't encourage him to move in that direction with any urgency. When it comes to features, he's 3-for-3 on projects that shouldn't necessarily work, but function as both parodies and exemplars of the things being parodied. "Shaun of the Dead" is a hilarious zombie parody, but also a sufficiently scary and gory zombie movie. "Hot Fuzz" is a parody of over-blown action movies, but it's also stuffed with set pieces that exceed nearly anything in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced oeuvre. And "Scott Pilgrim" functions as a video game-flavored action movie, a slacker comedy and an ultra-earnest young adult romance, while winking at possible viewer fatigue for those genres.
Breaking into video game vernacular is no more or less an extreme embodiment of the sensation of falling in love than breaking into song, though some critics might have you believing that one is a reaction limited to nerds and adolescent boys, while the other is worthy of artistic exploration. And there's little doubt that Wright sees the film's fights as no different from Gene Kelly swinging around a lamppost or the Jets and Sharks snapping their way into a bloody confrontation. What's interesting is how Wright, cinematographer Bill Pope, editors Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss, plus composer Nigel Godrich blend the semiotics of comics, video games and music videos into something fresh yet derivative.
For a certain demographic, the language spoken in "Scott Pilgrim" will serve as almost an entertainment Esperanto. For other viewers, a great majority of viewers, "Scott Pilgrim" may suffer from literal and thematic cacophony. It probably won't take viewers long to know which camp they fit into. If you cheer at the Atari-inspired Universal logo, if you groove on the jarring panel-to-panel editing, if you're ready to rock out to the Beck-penned Sex Bob-omb songs, if you accept the whimsical notion that the girl you love could literally rollerblade through your brain, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" will probably resonate on more than one level.
Can't get enough HitFix reviews of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"? Check out Alan Sepinwall and Drew McWeeny's takes.
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A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupjvanell
August 12, 2010 at 3:15PM EST Reply to CommentWhen I met you in the SGU line a Comic Con, I said I read you. I failed to express how much I enjoy your writing. This is a wonderful example of why I like to read your stuff. thanks. Jan
dan Thanks Jan! And nice meetin' you in that endlessly wrapping line...
August 12, 2010 at 3:27PM EST-Daniel
August 12, 2010 at 3:21PM EST Reply to CommentSeeing the movie tonight. I'm just not sure I'm going to be able to enjoy it, considering how much character depth and nuance has reportedly been lost in translation. But it seems that you, Dan, appreciate these qualities of the graphic novel as much as anyone could, and you managed to enjoy the movie nonetheless. Which makes yours the most reassuring review I've read.
August 12, 2010 at 3:21PM EST Reply to CommentAlso, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl has to die of leukemia or something after teaching the protagonist a life lesson, while Ramona gives small hints of being an actual woman who Scott has to be in a relationship with. Plus MPDG's have no past. Scott's literally battling the exes is kind of an extended joke about that trope, right?
velocityknown
August 12, 2010 at 3:23PM EST Reply to CommentNot that I don't agree with you assessment of Michael Cera in this role, but who would you have cast as Scott Pilgrim?
I've never read the books, but I have seen mixed reviews so far on how Cera pulls the role off.
Either way I'm looking forward to seeing this movie for the cast members alone:
Jason Schwartzman, good in most things
Brandon Routh, I actually enjoyed his performance in "Chuck" (not a shipper)
Chris Evans, get to see a funny performance from Captain America
oh and of course, Mae Whitman. Arrested Development fans will be looking to the final battle between Ann (aka Her?) and George Michael.
velocityknown *Not cast members alone, but the cast members alone sell it for me. Also very much looking forward to Edgar Wright's direction.
August 12, 2010 at 3:24PM ESTdan velocityknown - The people I'd have cast are all a smidge too old. Emile Hirsch, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, maybe somebody with a comedy background like a Bret Harrison or an Adam Brody? Not sure I like the last two all the much. Hirsch was the one I thought of as I read the books, for whatever reason...
August 12, 2010 at 3:31PM EST-Daniel
August 12, 2010 at 4:15PM ESTBy the way, is Scott's age ever mentioned on-screen in the film?
Antid Oto I actually gave this a lot of thought after hearing Dan complain about Michael Cera's casting in the podcast, and decided that the way Dev Patel played Anwar in Skins was just about perfect. Inept but enthusiastic, and basically comfortable in his skin.
August 12, 2010 at 4:17PM EST
August 13, 2010 at 1:21AM ESTJoes Maybe Rupert Grint if he could lose the Englishness (or Scottishness?).
August 13, 2010 at 4:16AM ESTNoa I totally thought Adam Brody would be the perfect casting
September 25, 2010 at 7:06PM ESTklg19
August 12, 2010 at 6:33PM EST Reply to CommentDamn. After the vapid abomination that was Neil Rosen's "review" on NY1 yesterday morning, this is a breath of pure sunshine. What a smart, insightful, supple piece of criticism. Nicely done!
August 12, 2010 at 7:41PM EST Reply to CommentEver since I've seen one of the special screenings back in July I've been looking for the words on how to get my friends, who've read the series but were ambivalent on the film, in the theaters.
Found them now.
Thanks Dan and I hope to meet you and Sepinwall next year at Comic-Con.
dippers
August 13, 2010 at 8:25AM EST Reply to CommentIn anime/manga-speak, Knives is moe (initially) and then yandere.
August 19, 2010 at 4:16AM EST Reply to CommentThe best (and certainly most fun) movie I've seen in a long, long time.
steve
January 4, 2011 at 2:35AM EST Reply to CommentI don't write movie reviews. I finished watching this movie and felt betrayed. I can see how this movie probably looked great on paper. Its a combination of genres. Boy is in a struggling band. Boy meets girl. Boy meets his dream girl. Boy is a slacker and doesn't want to break up with first girl. Boy finally does and then realizes that his dream girl is haunted by seven evil ex's and he has to fight each of them to the death.... Cera has to come out on top or he'll die... or the girl will break up with him, or ... That's the basic plot of the movie. Rom/Com meets video game action movie. It could have been weird and cool, but it ended up being weird and ...meaningless... empty... pointless.
I have really enjoyed Michael Cera's work so far (with the exception of 'Year One' (or whatever that Jack Black movie was that he did... and I like Jack Black, but we have to admit, that movie was a bit klunky). I like the quirky goofy shtick Cera does - it works. Even in this movie - he has a lot of good moments. The movie didn't fail because of Cera's acting and I sincerely liked watching him move through the action sequences.
Loads of big names signed on for it - even some bit parts were filled with experienced actors. Keiran Culkin was great. He was funny and a legitimate bright point in the movie. Jonathan Shwartzman was good - I'm a big 'Bored to Death' fan, so it was cool to watch him doing something else - I really want to see him do well in movies - I have high expectations for him - this was not great - it was just good. If the other actors were all 'no names' it would have been way worse, but the familiar faces dressed the film up quite a bit.
The special effects were super cool. The constant use of 80s and 90s video game video and sound FX was fun, but still...
Where the movie falls apart is the fight scenes are not fueled by anything real. Its impossible to feel that Cera is actually fighting for something worthwhile. His love interest is not very interested in him and we don't know enough about her to make us feel that she is some kind of uncatchable catch. She's got a look and a mysterious presence, but as soon as we get to know her a bit the mystery is clearly a bit of a let down... so what is Cera fighting for? Its impossible to believe. It needed way less fighting, more jokes and more character development.
...So, though the movie has some really good points and some really good actors, it is mostly filled with fight scenes that don't lead anywhere. Effects and talent were all over this project, but it was kind of like dressing up a pig - she doesn't become a prom queen if you put 10,000 bows on her - she's still a pig and she still smells like ass.
and...
The film is set in Toronto - Toronto is not a nice place - don't be fooled. Its dirty, ugly, boring and expensive. People are mean. There is no culture - its just a mishmash of people who are stuck together, who would rather not be anywhere near each other. Is not a true representation of Canadian culture. Avoid it at all costs. Its definitely not a travel destination.... Yeah, so that thing I said earlier about dressing up a pig... it applies here too.