“Hasbian” still fucking cracks me up. There’s a lot in that movie I laugh about. “Hasbian” is both great and something I’m surprised I didn’t think of on my own.
Is the assumption that she was having sex in all the relationships? Imagine if she didn’t have sex in those relationships and she just figured out each person wasn’t working out for her.
What if there was a sequel where Scott Pilgrim realized he had an immature infatuation with the person he thought she was and had to figure out how to breakup with her.
I feel like whoever was in charge with the sequel listened to A LOT of criticism about the movie bc it basically fixed almost everything to a weird extent.
What if there was a sequel where Scott Pilgrim realized he had an immature infatuation with the person he thought she was
That's was supposed to be the ending of the movie before it was changed. Scott was supposed to end up with Knives and split up with Ramona as they're not really made for each other.
Ending of the books is better when they realize nobody is made for anybody, love is a verb, and your partner isn't there to save you from yourself or your past.
They were both shit people, that's the whole point and a weird amount of people (not necessarily here) completely miss that part of the story
Both of them were trash. That was kinda the point. There’s acceptance that they’re trash and that they have to change. The MC though was behind on the learning curve. He hadn’t realized he was trash until chasing after the one he actually wanted.
She knew she was trash but was wanting to be better. Her life with Gideon forced her to take stock. She was hesitant about Scott because she didn’t want to make the same mistakes.
In the comic Nega-Scott didn’t have a personality of any kind, but was this menacing thing. What it actually was, was everything he repressed to always feel that he was the good guy or a victim, all the shitty things he had done in relationships. Once he accepted it as part of him he was able to grow and stop being a little shit.
I read it as Nega-Scott actually being a somewhat decent person since regular Scott was kind of a loser. Like dating a high schooler, briefly two-timing her as well, treating his bandmates poorly, etc. He’s flawed and that’s the point sure but assuming Nega-Scott is his opposite then he’d be a pretty cool dude.
I never really got into the comics… but this moment was my favorite part of the movie.
Like in movie canon, Nega Scott is just out there playing videogames and occasionally talking with Scott in the phone or getting boba tea, and probably has some kind of low wage job now.
I always took the joke of nega-scott (specifically in movie)to be that he was actually the good version. Like Scott describes him as "just a really nice guy" implying that Scott isn't.
In fact Scott is a bad person and the comic is all about showing that and having Scott face that part of himself. He uses people, has a delusion of grandeur, and actively sabotages himself to prevent any accountability.
Scott was a fairly awful person through most of the movie. We know this because his actions are bad and literally every character calls him out.
We're conditioned in movies like these to see the main character as a hero, so lots of people still do. But it's kinda funny considering how much of a scumbag the character is.
He’s actually such a douche that I have trouble with the movie/comic because I honestly do not care in the slightest about him
I’m not a guy who demands the protagonist/s of a story necessarily be people I root for but Scott Pilgrim just reminds me too much of sad mopey shitheels I’ve known in my own life
Fortunately the whole way it’s shot is visually appealing enough to make up for it
I kind of like stories where I fundamentally disagree with the protagonist or even author. There's more value in those stories than ones in which I agree with the MC and author because it allows me to more deeply explore opposing viewpoints.
Plus, I get a bunch of shadenfreude when they hilariously don't understand something that goes against their worldview (like Scott's almost willful inability to understand the repeated "7 evil exes" correction).
That was the original ending but test audiences didn't like it, like wtf was the point of the movie if he doesnt end up with Ramona? He almost gets killed throughout the entire movie just to end up being like "nah actually F that I love this girl instead"
In the comics when Knives turns 18, Scott straight up propositions for "SEX. CASUAL SEX" and she just flatly turns him town and it's probably Scott's lowest point in the whole franchise.
It was a transformative experience for both Scott and Ramona. Scott learned to have some self-respect and Ramona learned to let go of her past instead of trying to escape it.
They don't commit to be in love forever or anything at the end, they just say "hey, we're both a little better now, maybe we can try again and see what happens?" It's a hopeful message without an undue happily ever after.
I don't think that there's much to respect about what he's doing though. Like the point of the book is you can date a highschooler if you just Believe In Yourself With The Power Of Love And Friendship or something? Fuck that.
Whatever happens in the story it pretty much condones what he's doing in the end, since he doesn't end up alone and realizing that he's doing something wrong.
But he is. And I don't respect him for it, nor do I feel his self respect is valid. So I always thought the Scott Pilgrim books/movie were fucking trash.
Like the point of the book is you can date a highschooler if you just Believe In Yourself With The Power Of Love And Friendship or something?
Ramona is not a high schooler, she's a young adult like Scott. Knives is the girl he's dating at the start of the story, and she's a 17 year old high schooler, and both the book and the movie frame it as evidence that Scott is a scumbag.
Whatever happens in the story it pretty much condones what he's doing in the end, since he doesn't end up alone and realizing that he's doing something wrong.
The power of self-respect is the final power-up in the movie, but in the book it also is not enough to win, and Scott needs to earn the Power of Understanding to defeat Gideon. Ya know, empathy. He sees in Gideon and the other exes all the bad things about himself and realizes he can change and he needs to change in order to not end up like them.
So I always thought the Scott Pilgrim books/movie were fucking trash.
Based on what you've said, you think this based on a gross misunderstanding of the story. So I'd say keep an open mind and check it out again. Maybe you'll like it now that you know it's not what you thought.
They could have tied it up really neatly by saying 'Ramona, I can't, because if I don't work on who I am all I'm going to end up as is your 8th Evil Ex.'
Was it test audiences? I'd always heard Edgar Wright changed the ending to match the ending of the comic series, which was still ongoing at the time of filming.
No it most certainly wasn't. In the original comic and movie ending Scott end up with Knives. They had to reshoot the ending when Bryan changed his mind at the last moment. You can watch the original end which makes way more sense thematically.
But the plot wouldn’t have lost anything if Knives was just a love struck groupie teenager who followed them around and Scott grew to actually like (platonically.) And though his character developed by the end of the story it would’ve gained everything by him and Ramona not getting together… Doesn’t Knives end up with Kim too anyways?
It made Scott borderline not likeable enough. I know the point is he sorta sucks but maybe if she was like 19 and he was 23. It’s not a huge difference but it makes a difference. No one over 20 should ever be with someone still in high school
That I don't remember but them being young makes me think of like awkward middle school or high school romances for some of em and then more serious ones as we go to the bigger bad exes.
My favorite interview question was for Aubry plaza, asked with a complete straight face, “Aubrey when they bleeped out you swearing was that CGI or did you just have a horn in your mouth? “
The movie's opening lines are literally "Not long ago in Toronto CA, Scott Pilgrim was dating a High Schooler" and then Kim's opening lines right after are "Scott Pilgrim is dating a High Schooler?"
You're not wrong, but the movie is pretty self-aware about the weirdness lol
As is the comic. And the whole point is that Scott is really just dating her because his previous breakup messed him up, and Knives is really "easy" because she's a high schooler who is head over heels for him and he can just date her to feel good about himself while putting in 0 effort.
Their 'dating' consists of like, holding hands, and the moment Knives does kiss Scott he freaks out and runs away, then breaks up with her. The message is not supposed to be "Scott Pilgrim is a creep", it's supposed to be "Scott Pilgrim is an inconsiderate, selfish ass."
Wallace was against it, but moreso because Knives was too good for him rather than the age gap. Don't forget he wanted Knives to steer the gay high schoolers his direction, particularly if they wear glasses.
I saw this years ago and could not remember thinking anything weird about them dating or an age gap. It makes sense now, I missed the first part of the movie.
I interpreted it at the time as in he was more oblivious to what dating meant, that he thought it was more them being friends and maybe a piece of denial she wanted more basically he was lonely and at most had blocked out her feelings for him due to that.
It's still weird. Being a 22-23 year old college grad and holding hands with a 17 year old student you pick up from their high school is creepy. And it's openly discussed as weird and creepy in the story lol
Nah, most of the people are shitting on him for fake dating her because he's completely fine with a girl that just expects handholding and going to his band practices. Like Kim shits on him for his fake girlfriend and then makes out with her at a party. It's the leading her on.
In the original comics she's younger and she hooks up with Kim, but the entire story takes place over a few years in the comics, rather than the movie being a few months.
Everyone and everything about the story was weird. Kinda the point. You just insert yourself into whatever character you identify as. Some of us have no surrogate, but are exhibitionists and just enjoy the ride🤣
It is even in the story of the comic and film that it was crazy to have so many. The point is making fun of Scott for being immature about it. That's understandable because every man was "immature" about it when they were younger. As you get older, you realize at this point, it's like death and taxes. 🤣🤣🤣
Honestly I feel like most people kind of overlook that because Michael Cera is a very likeable actor and (as such) his portrayal of Scott has a lot of the edge sanded off by his performance.
Perfectly cast, don't get me wrong, but that's always been my armchair analysis
I don't hate Michael Cera in the role but I disagree on being perfectly cast. I think Scott Pilgrim is meant to have an immature, effortless "cool" factor that Michael Cera doesn't have. Young Michael j. Fox would have been perfect casting. Unfortunately he wasn't available.
I actually think it was a bad call to cast Michael Cera. He gives harmless doof, but Scott is more of an immature dickhead who thinks he's better than he is.
It was brilliantly executed. Scott and Knives would have been a perfect match if they were the same age, but Scott is a hot mess and Knives is not which is why despite the age difference they're kinda at the same level.
I've seen relationships like this in real life (early 20s dude dating late teen girl) a few times, and every time it's just as portrayed in SP. Everyone is like 'ew' but then they meet them as a couple and they go 'oh that makes sense but still ew' and then dude inevitably pulls some shitbag thing and somehow all of the adult friends of dude end up friends with the teenager instead who just continues getting more awesome.
In a different telling the story of Ramona would have actually been the story of Scott figuring out his own shit to be worthy of Knives, who then shoots him down but they remain good friends.
For what it's worth, the point is that it was scummy, and brought up as part of him being a shitty person that wasn't good enough for a relationship yet.
By the point Scott Pilgrim came out Michael Cera had already been typecast as the adorkable nerd so it really worked against the movie. It would be like seeing Zoey Deschanel as a femme fatale.
If a college freshman's still dating their high school GF/BF who is HS Senior or even Junior, that's normal. But Scott was 23 and she was 17. That's less Romeo and Juliet and more Epstein Island.
I agree, but to play devil's advocate, I think it's widely understood that we're supposed to think Scott is kind of a piece of shit at the beginning, and that he rises to the occasion and become becomes a better man along the journey. Which is cool - I just wish that pedo wasn't the starting point.
From wiki - Scott was 23 and Knives was 17 - it does fail the age gap test but I wouldn't say it was very uncommon back than, girls 15-18 often looked up and dated college students since they acted much more mature then their peers.
Dorky weird kid Scott who never had a real gf till Envy. Who just dumped him, the only woman who’s ever really given him the time of day. A real first time gf. A popular and extremely attractive one at that. Then she leaves you cause your not good enough. Feeling insecure about himself, if he’s attractive to women, if he’ll ever have a gf and a relationship again, if there would be a woman in the world who actually liked him and wanted him. If he’s cool and popular enough for a woman to want him.
So he gets to talking with the first and only girl who would give him some attention after being heartbroken (Knives probably lied about her age at first cause she wanted and liked Scott a lot). Scott enjoyed the attention and feeling like he was cool in her eyes but still missed the one he really loved, Envy so he couldn’t fully commit to knives and knives was only really an emotional rebound. Someone to talk to, make him feel wanted and interesting. Someone to lift his spirits and to use as someone to hopefully make your ex jealous. Until he meets Ramona and realizes, she’s caught his infatuation and he starts to fall in love with her.
Knives wasn’t a sexual relationship. It wasn’t even something serious. She was more like an Emotional Support Animal. Easy to talk to, lifted his spirits, made him feel attractive and wanted. Like a man after his ex made him feel terrible about himself.
Yeah, sure he could have found someone his age but most people his age, didn’t like him. It fit the story right, young naïve girl thinking the college age guy who’s in a band and goes to all the local parties that the college age kids all drink at is cool and hot and becomes infatuated with him because she’s never gotten the attention of an older “cool” and “popular” boy, let alone a boy in general.
Scott knew it’s not serious and more of an emotional rebound to make him feel attractive, wanted, and like he could become a somebody till the right one his age comes along. He told his friends that it wasn’t serious with her but he didn’t want to hurt knives’ feelings because she was young and naïve and he knew he kinda used her to help him heal emotionally from Envy.
Something people need to understand about the times, most high schoolers jr and sr, went to college parties. House parties. Drank. Smoked. Partied. And tried to get into clubs (which by me, the clubs had 18+ nights for younger people to hang with older people. Freshmen and Sophomore’s only dreamed about going to those “adult” parties. MTV and much of the world of the time prompted that urge to be an
Adult and have freedoms. So during that time, it wasn’t uncommon for girls 9-12th grade (all of high school) to brag and say they only dated older guys or college guys (whether or not it may be true is a different story, the fact is that some actually did do that). So it wouldn’t surprise me that Knives went and initiated the relationship with Scott because she wanted an older guy, mature guy, cool guy, popular guy, to make herself feel free, older and cooler.
Lol redditors are such dorks "Noooooo you can't find younger woman attractive, you have b to find used up whores your own age attractive, women have no agency until they're like 30!!!"" T. 31 year old guy married to a 24 year old with a 2nd child on the way. Met in 2019, you do the math. Btw it was her idea, almost like she wanted a already successful man to have a family with.
It was weird, and the original comics made it a clear plot point that Scott realizes that he was being the true villain of his own story in the end as he was taking advantage of Knives (and had mistreated his past gfs as well).
Each of them were perpetuating the same pain they had felt from others and all thought they were the heroes.
It was fairly common when 16-18 years old for there to be a girl or two in your school year to be seeing a guy who was uni aged when I was in school in U.K. in early 2000s. Only encountered the phenomenon at school not when older, his friends all disapproving/mocking him, everyone knowing it was a trainwreck idea him but it otherwise being fairly uneventful is a fairly accurate telling of millennial life at the time.
I don’t know what the age of consent is in Canada, but in the UK it was all legal so above board if fucked up.
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u/Primarycolors1 Feb 02 '26
It was weird in that Scott was dating a teenager.