We were super excited to get an invite to see a sneak preview of the long awaited film adaptation of Brian Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim comics.  So Pete and Kevin trekked on over to some fancy pants theater in Bellevue to check it out.  And now after some poking, prodding and a couple of beers, we’ve convinced them to actually do their job and review the movie too.

Kevin-Let me start off by saying that it was very awesome to not only bypass the extremely long line of people waiting to get into the movie but then, when we got into the theater we had seats reserved for us!  +5 ego +7 entitlement on my part.

Pete-You know what class is? Seeing your name on the “reserved for” list. Wait, that isn’t so much “class” per seas it is ego inflating… meh, same thing.

Kevin-If I had known we were going to get that kind of treatment I would have worn my monocle and top-hat along with my Kim Pine-Toronto t-shirt.

Pete-You know, you just don’t see enough monocles these days.

Kevin-The last time I saw excellent monocle usage was at the end of the Last Starfighter when Lord Kril pops on the electro-monocle to say, “We die” before his ship blows up.  Awesome.

Pete-Ooooh man I love me a good Last Starfighter reference. How many video games did you go out and play hoping that they were recruiting machines to go and kick some Kodan armada butt? I don’t know that I’ve ever shaken that feeling… I don’t know that I want to.
Speaking of awesome feelings and Scott Pilgrim, were you surprised that it ruled as much as it did? To be honest, I kinda was.

Kevin-When I was 11 I plunked quite a bit of my allowance into the game N.A.R.C. and when I finally beat the final boss George HW Bush himself walked through the doors of the Happy Joe’s Pizza Parlor and recruited me for a special D.E.A squad tasked to eliminate Cyborg Crack Dealers.  That was one fun summer.  True story.
As for the movie we’re supposed to be reviewing instead of talking video games, I was pretty stoked about the movie, but privately I had doubts and wasn’t sure if Edgar Wright would be able to pull the whole thing off. But the opening scene was absolutely spot on in both characterization and in tone, so once the opening credits rolled, my doubts had fallen away and I was pretty much in love with the movie from then on.

Pete-Ooooooooooooh man now a N.A.R.C. reference? Get out of my video game obsessed childhood… next you’ll be talking about Bad Dudes…

So I’ve read most of the Scott Pilgrim comics and had the same sort of hesitance with the comic about its art that most people seem to mention (don’t like manga) but, the movie felt like a very solid adaptation. On its own I think it was a solidly entertaining movie. I was unsure about the page to screen transition and I think it was handled well. Visually, it was a very appealing movie. Acting-wise I think the cast really seemed to enjoy their roles and that made me enjoy the movie that much more. Even Michael Cera who, at times, can be a little too “Cera-y” managed make his performance interesting.  Maybe that’s just good casting or what the model for the comic was all along. Maybe Mumbles McCera is the real life Scott Pilgrim?

Kevin-Michael Cera’s portrayal of Scott was probably what I liked the least about the movie.  He wasn’t too “Cera-y” for me, he just didn’t play up the overblown/perhaps overcompensating confidence that Scott Pilgrim shows in the book that goes along with the crippling lack of confidence that the character has.  It was pretty much all shyness all the time until it came to fighting time.

But all the other characters I thought were spot on, especially Ramona, Knives and Wallace.  Kieran Culkin was pretty damn awesome as Wallace.

Pete-Okay, how much did you love Knives? Soooooooooooooo f-ing good. Found myself way more invested in the movie when she was on screen. Actually same goes for Wallace as well. Just waiting to see what those characters were going to do next really hooked me.

Kevin-Ellen Wong played Knives Chau’s in-love/heartbroken/stalkyness quite well; my interest in her is quite professional.  Alison Pill’s portrayal of Kim Pine however kinda made me fall in not-creepy love.
So we agree that the adaptation was pretty faithful in characterization and tone then?  What about the deeper meaning of the story about relationships and baggage? That work for you?

Pete-Ahhh what kids don’t have baggage these days? Seriously though… I think that part gets a touch lost in the movie. I mean you know they all have issues by how they relate and live their lives but, it isn’t really ever super stressed that they’re really screwed-up people. Which, as I think about it, I’m okay with. I think it might have taken away from the entertainment of the movie and the quick jokes peppered throughout.

Also I want to say that making the transition from page (or in this case what my brain imagined was on the page), to movieland, I thought Sex Bob-omb sounded exactly like what I’d expect them to.
Kevin-I thought that the baggage issue was pretty central.  Sure Scott didn’t notice it but it was there quite literally smacking him in the face.
As for Sex-Bobomb I totally agree, they were terrible but they still rocked hard enough to make me believe they’re able to defeat twin-synth-pop-dragons.

Pete-Well he looks like crap, he hasn’t really cut his hair in over a year, he’s sharinga bed with someone he isn’t involved with, has no job, no money, is dating a high schooler, I dunno… to me, it was pretty clear that this dude was a little off his game…

Kevin-Don’t forget that he’s also chasing someone who is always running.  That’senough to make even super studs like me act a little goofy. BUT if I learned any lesson from this movie, its that if you are having problems in your relationship, the best way to solve those problems is with lots of punching.
Pete-and sloppy rock n roll and video games. Yup, I’d call that a win.

I do want to add that I think this movie is going to be a surprise hit. I seriously wasn’t expecting too much and honestly the trailer kinda made it look assy. I was wrong. Way wrong. This thing was fun. And well done. A solid choice for the summer movie season and I think it will appeal to folk who aren’t familiar with the comic as well.

Kevin-This movie is going to do better than Iron Man 2 and Toy Story 3 combined…there I said it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to save the President as he has been kidnapped by ninjas.  Are you a Bad enough Dude to help me Pete?

Pete-BAD DUDES!

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