As the fall semester wraps up and final exam season approaches, times are stressful. Deadlines for assignments and projects have become top priorities consuming hours of the day to complete. Sometimes you just need an escape from everything, and a comfort movie could be the perfect little getaway.
Comfort movies are ones you could watch multiple times for their lovable characters, straightforward plot, hilarious dialogue and more. These movies can range from romantic comedies to award-winning dramas, even animated classics.
Even though I have various comfort movies, one of my favorites will always be Edgar Wright’s 2010 romantic action comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The movie is based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Bryan Lee O’Malley.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows a lanky, idler bass guitarist named Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) who must vanquish an army of evil exes to date the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
While the plot primarily focuses on Scott’s vicious conquest of Ramona’s seven evil exes, the movie also features notable actors and actresses before they landed their big break in Hollywood. Before winning an Academy Award and becoming Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brie Larson was only 20 years old when she played Envy Adam, Scott’s crooner ex-girlfriend.
Larson’s performance as Envy remains an iconic role in her filmography who makes her entrance by standing in front of a poster promoting her band, the Clash at Demonhead. A few scenes later, Envy performs Metric’s “Black Sheep” as Scott and Ramona stare in utter shock. Larson’s cover of the song became available to stream on Spotify in June 2021 — a wonderful surprise for all the LGBTs.
Another beloved actress who starred in this movie before gaining success in later projects was Aubrey Plaza, who played April Ludgate on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. In Scott Pilgrim, Plaza plays Julie Powers, a 22-year-old who has issues. When Scott starts to develop feelings for Ramona, she calls him a “total lady-killer wannabe, jerky-jerk.” She also points out his relationship with 17-year-old Knives Chau as “the mourning period” after Envy dumped him over a year ago.
Besides its lovable characters, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has a myriad of hilarious lines and dialogue between the characters. Throughout the movie, the drummer and ex-girlfriend of Scott, Kim Pine (Alison Pill) never fail to express her disdain for his relationship with Knives. In an early scene, Kim tells Scott that if his life had a life, she would punch it.
Scott’s gay roommate, Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin) also disagrees with him dating Knives; with particular sympathy for the high schooler. At one point, he grabs her wrists and tells her, “You’re too good for him. Run.”
However, Scott’s troubles worsen after he develops a strong interest in Ramona. In an attempt to learn more about her, he asks people at a party: “What do you know about Ramona Flowers?” If you have never watched Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the scene is reminiscent of Regina George in Mean Girls.
Another element I love about this movie is the transitions between scenes. Wright particularly uses frame wipes, in which one shot replaces another by traveling from one side of the frame into the next shot. These transitions are seamless and well-paced; sometimes emphasized with sound effects to match the comic book theme.
Even though I have seen this movie a million times, it always warms my cold dead heart. It’s a timeless classic that I could never get enough off. Long story short, if Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was a blanket, I would wrap it around my shoulders on my worst days.
If you also feel like these last few weeks have been killing you slowly, put on this movie or any comfort movies of yours for a moment of peace. Along the way, cheer on your favorite characters and laugh at those jokes that never get old. Take a moment to yourself by getting lost in another world, even if it’s fictional.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is available to stream on Hulu, Showtime and Amazon Prime Video.
Featured image by Morgan Scruggs