From the moment the credits of Scott Pilgrim roll, it’s clear that you’re about to watch something truly unique.  This film’s going to break all the rules of narrative, and it’s going to do it with pizazz.  And that’s just what it does.

At its center is an innovative and clever script by Michael Bacall and director Edgar Wright, based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel.  It’s perhaps the best screenplay of the year thus far, though it’s sure to be unrecognized (as comedies always are).  Quirky as all hell, incredibly charming, and very unpredictable, the script zigs and zags in a way that will surely have conventional credits calling it “inconsistent.”  But this inconsistency is most welcome, because you’ll have no clue what’s coming next.

The casting of its ensemble is part of its genius.  While Hollywood star-studded casts are often the worst films around, this star-studded cast is not enamored with mainstream fame.  Instead, it draws its actors from a small, independent pool of players who are as quirky as the subject matter itself.  The always-charming Michael Cera leads the way, supported by the under-used Kieran Culkin as his jaded, gay roommate, the ever-talented Anna Kendrick, sarcastic go-to-guy Ben Schwartzman, a deliciously-bitter Alison Pill, and campy, self-mocking villains played by Chris Evans and Brandon Routh (known for their turns in The Fantastic Four and Superman Returns, respectively).  Mary Elizabeth Winstead need only bat her enormous eyes and raise her plump cheeks to make the audience fall in love with her fabulously-costumed Ramona Flowers (whose hair often matches the accents of her clothes).  And newcomer Ellen Wong goes great lengths to humanize the stereotypical role of the heartbroken high school groupie turned intevitably bitter ex.

Edgar Wright’s direction is stylized and playful, and his crew of technical collaborators understood his mind perfectly.  Art Director Nigel Churcher presents a colorful world beautifully shot by Cinematographer Bill Pope.  The visual effects team seamlessly integrates Zelda- and Mario-style graphics with the actors and matches the style pitch-perfect.

Sure, it’s a bit overly long.  Why not just five evil Exes, to keep runtime around 90 or 100 minutes where it belongs?  But this is its only real flaw.  I’ve read other reviewers complain about the lack of explanation as to how Scott Pilgrim acquired the superpowers to defend himself, but that’s missing the point of the entire picture.  This is a romantic fantasy.  Suspend your disbelief.  Laugh.  Be entertained.  Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is one of the most unique films of the year.