There were lots of good moments where the film's cleverness surprised me. The character banter had more wit than anything I've seen in a while. Having said that, there were a few things that bugged me a lot: one of the exes breaks into song (ugh), Pilgrim waits by the door right after making an Amazon purchase, and there are a few parts where swear words are bleeped out. I thought all these elements pushed things too far, and because they weren't funny, they didn't carry enough weight to support themselves. There were also times when the film felt like it was a person trying really hard to be cool.
I definitely recommend seeing this in theater, especially because there isn't anything else coming out until the end of October (Let Me In). It's a sad year, folks. Better get your ya ya's out while you can.
Funny. The parts that you said bugged you I thought were some of the most amusing. Sitting by the door immediately after making an online purchase? Total noob hilarity. Julie's bleeped-out-face? "How are you doing that with your face?" True, the ex breaking out into song was cheesy, but it still totally worked within the context of the film. Like you, I thought it was certainly inventive and clever. The characters I felt were very flushed out, which is hard to do with a cast that big and the speed with which the film flies. Standouts: Wallace, Gideon, Knives, Todd. All in all a great film. Worth a double watch, worth the dvd buy.
ReplyDeleteMichael Cera makes me crazy because I WANT to love him like I loved him as George Michael but I'm so TIRED of seeing him play "Michael Cera" in every movie. Because of the aforementioned crazy-making, I hadn't planned on seeing this movie.. But in light of your lovely review, I think I might have to. ♥
ReplyDeleteOh he doesn't play Michael Cera in this movie. He plays Scott Pilgrim. As my friend Rob put it "Scott is clueless and immature, not nebbish and unsure of himself."
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with pickett, those were some of the greatest parts of the movie. Specifically with the song, had they been serious about it it would have been horrid, but the way they presented it just made the ex seem all that more absurd. My though process in the theater was like this, "oh my gosh, did he really just break into song? This guy is so lame." The feeling of lameness wasn't directed at the movie though, it was directed solely at Patel.
Oh, and the music/sound track was amazing. Beck, Metric, Corniullis, Broken Social Scene and a ton of chiptune. I couldn't ask for more.
ReplyDeleteI must take substantial issue with your dismissal of The Other Guys. Scott Pilgrim made me giddy in all of the geeky ways (the holy trifecta of cinema, comics, and music), but The Other Guys hit that little spark of anarchism that I can't help but throw myself at at any opportunity.
ReplyDeleteBut it's like comparing apples and some other fruit that people would say is supposed to taste just like an apple, but is actually, like, grapes.
Bad metaphor. It's 2 AM. Cut me some slack.