movie review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Pat Benatar once sang, "Love is a battlefield", and yes, I had to look that up. Well, that was then (like, the seventies right?) These days, love is an arcade game. Our generation has something different to say about infatuation and how movies should be made. What's comforting to see in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is that while love has become more of an 8-bit, side-scrolling background than a barbed-wire strewn "no man's land", it still rewards devotion and learning with hands-holding, public make-out bliss. This is the kind of movie that couldn't have been made ten years ago, and not just because Michael Cera was still in diapers and Edgar Wright was dutifully making Spaced. The floating, Street Fighter graphics and breakneck pace of the story are catered to the modern age of YouTube and Twitter. While I usually find myself overwhelmed by this kind of assault on my senses, Scott Pilgrim does an excellent job of balancing each attention-demanding element.

After realizing the (literal) girl of his dreams is a real person living in his city of Toronto, Scott's disillusioned concept of time is portrayed wonderfully by flawless cuts to scenes several hours apart, carrying us along in his lack of interest in anything that isn't the girl with the pink hair. On first watch, its difficult to follow that Scott is kind of a dick when it comes to relationships. Michael Cera's previous work does him an injustice here, as you expect him to be more of a chivalrous nerd. Seeing the movie for a second time, I was able to better pick up on the nuances of his "lady killer" attitude and his evolution into a caring and thoughtful man through his pivotal "power up" earning of self-respect. As much as relationships are about dedication and willing fight for someone else, they are first and foremost about being true to yourself. What I walked away from this movie with was a feeling that the truest sense of love one can feel for another only comes after standing up for your own good.

Gripes? Of course. I wish we had more a backstory of why and how Ramona dated twins - Asian twins at that. Was she purposefully trying to meet people of as many walks of life as possible? Also, Scott's history with Natalie/Envy was pretty hollow. Apart from that, this movie is the epitome of awesome. The segues from realistic to fantastic are enjoyable enough not to be stupid (save perhaps Matthew Patel's posse of demon hipster chicks.) The soundtrack, sets and casting are all perfect. Scott's roommate Wallace is my favorite character, a spot-on performance of comic honesty and sympathetic wisdom. Perhaps the best aspect of Scott Pilgrim is that we empathize with Scott. From his obsessive infatuation to the joyous romance it becomes, we feel ready to strap on brass knuckles ourselves if that's what it takes to win Ramona's heart. If only our own lives could be so beautifully wrought with stylistic flourishes and pixelated accoutrements. I'm sure many will walk away from this movie with such arcade additions playing through their mind into everyday situations. Real or imagined, flying through the air and psychic abilities pale in comparison to the power of love.