There are certain movies that define a generation. Now these movies are not always Academy Award winning movies, but they show a certain side of a group that cause the audience to think, “yes, this is exactly how I feel!” For the 80’s it was The Breakfast Club, and each generation has its own film. For my generation, that movie will be Scott Pilgrim vs The World. This may sound like a very lofty statement, but this idea is not stemming off the way the plot is like an average 18-24 year old’s life story, it is something else and we will get to that soon enough.

The movie follows a guy named Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), who lives in Canada and is a member of the youth-rock garage band The Sex Bomb-Ombs. The entire band’s hopes are for fame and stardom, at least until Scott meets the Technicolor-haired girl of his dreams, Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Her aloof and cool attitude only make Scott want to talk to her more, and eventually Ramona says yes to a date... and this is where things get a little sticky for Mr. Pilgrim. Seven of her exes have formed a league. They call themselves the League of Evil Exes. In order for Scott to date Ramona, he must defeat all seven of them. It is one thing to just fight, but to fight AND win is a whole different ballgame, and Scott is going to need all the help he can get to stay one step ahead.

This film has a phenomenal look to it and I remember after seeing the trailer for the first time, I was surprised to see it wasn’t in 3D, but now I am very appreciative that they didn’t. With everyone jumping on that craze, it is great to see a movie that doesn’t need effects to explode off the screen. The jokes and puns are well spaced and never overwhelming. There is a fine line between very funny and having too many jokes to the point where there is more slapstick than dialogue. It was impressive to me that no joke was missed. The one problem that is too big to shake off is the chemistry, or lack thereof, between Cera and Winstead. Both of these actors were wonderful in their part and had an aura of believability, except when they were around each other. This flaw is masked quite well however, thanks to all the effects and action sequences. The soundtrack also deserves some praise, because after the movie, you WILL have those tunes stuck in your head all night. I had to buy the soundtrack afterwards because they would not stop playing in my head. The beats are catchy, fun, and fit perfectly with the tone of the movie.

First and foremost, if you like a movie with a linear plot, a story with logical twists and turns, and characters that do not act out of who we believe they are—don’t go to this movie. The focus of the story jumps around more times than an episode of The Simpsons. This is where the film draws a very distinct line of its audience. The 18-24 year olds will LOVE this style, while most people above it will just tilt their heads and question the logistics of it. Going with the flow is the best thing to do.

Scott Pilgrim is rated PG-13 for stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references. The language half of the time is bleeped out and the sexual content is only in two scenes, and not much happens. I believe the PG-13 rating is well suited and does not feel out of place with this movie. I would avoid sending anyone under that age unless as a parent you are with them.

I give Scott Pilgrim vs The World four and a half out of five bass guitar duels. If a movie can capture a generation, Scott just might have the right moves to do it.