Billed by Universal’s marketing department as an “epic of epic epicness,” Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was, infamously, an epic box office fail. Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s manga-styled graphic novels nonetheless has the key makings of an enduring cult classic: high rewatchability, geeky references aplenty, and an enthusiastic niche audience. That should be true, above all, at rep houses here in Toronto, where the film was not only shot (no big deal), but also totally, explicitly set (a legit big deal, earning Scott a spot on Torontoist‘s 2010 heroes list). Naturally, L.A.’s New Beverly has already stolen our thunder, honouring the film with a monthly midnight screening, but that’s probably fitting, given Scott Pilgrim‘s many nods to the uniquely Canadian quandary of how to keep up with the U.S. Joneses.
Scott, as played by GTA native Michael Cera, literally embodies this Canuck-specific inferiority complex in his pining for mercurial American delivery girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), whose baggage includes a league of belligerently overprotective evil exes. To win Ramona’s heart, Scott must reluctantly best each one in battle, in a series of hyper-stylized, Street Fighter–inspired showdowns. When not locked in mortal combat, or cuddling with Ramona in her Cabbagetown apartment, Scott divides his time between traipsing around the Annex, avoiding his own jilted ex, Knives Chau (Scarborough actor Ellen Wong), and jamming with his grungy garage band Sex Bob-omb (whose tunes in the film are actually penned by Beck).
Throughout, Wright remains scrupulously faithful to O’Malley’s original drawings, which feature the sorts of locales (Honest Ed’s, Lee’s Palace, Sonic Boom, Pizza Pizza) that will be of special significance to Toronto-dwellers. But beyond serving as abundant landmark-spotting fodder, what makes Scott Pilgrim a joy to return to time and again is the uncommonly accomplished execution of its blend of action, comedy, and awkward romance (elements Wright knows well, having previously directed buddy-cop parody Hot Fuzz and zombie-afflicted rom-com Sean of the Dead.) First and foremost, Scott Pilgrim is a lot of fun. That it’s also unashamedly ours is the glazing on the Timmy’s doughnut.
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