(500) Days Of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009)

(500) Days of Summer

(500) Days of Summer - Directed by Marc Webb, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel - Rated R

This movie is about a relationship from beginning to end. It's been compared to Annie Hall and I think that is a fair comparison. I really enjoyed this one. It felt like a new breed of romantic comedy, one that both a man and a woman could enjoy. Let's hope this is the beginning of a new trend.

Eric Harris - www.canneltoncritic.com

(500) Days of Summer

Telling  the 500 days of the relationship between Summer (Zooey Deschanels) and  Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in unchronological order, (500) Days of Summer is a charming  American indie film.

Without falling into absolute cheesyness and  thousand times seen clichés the story is taught on Tom's point of view  of their relationship. Gordon-Levitt gives a strong and touching  performance in his 80's indie music lover/wannabe architect greeting  card writer instead. The soundtrack is amazing with forgotten bands like  The Smiths, The Clash and indie rock bands of the moment like Mumm-Ra.  Well, since I'm a music lover when the music of a film fell in my tastes  I tend to appreciate the film a little bit more.

The character  of Tom is so real and well nuanced by Gordon-Levitt' performance that I  easily identified myself to him. (Well, it's easy since we approximately  have the same age, music tastes, and personnalities...) Enough of me!

Summer  portrayed by Zooey Deschanel who gives a very good performance in an  uncommon character. Sometimes she is too distant in the character and  her presence could have been a little stronger in the more dramatic  scenes.

For Marc Webb, the director this is a great sophomore  effort and I think he did what I would do if I someday I could direct my  films; please myself with classic foreign films references... I'm not  gonna list them here but let's say if you're into Ingmar Bergman you'll  have a good laugh...

I truly loved (500) Days of Summer, it doesn't reinvent the genre but  it refresh it in a very good way. One of the runners-up to my Top 10 of  2009.


A Film Review by  Michaël Parent

http://cinephiliaque.blogspot.com/2010/03/500-days-of-summer-un-film-de-marc-webb.html

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Recommendations: Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Duel

Last updated: 2010-10-19 10:39:27 by MichaelParent

(500) Days of Summer

Starring  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, and Geoffrey Arend
Rated  PG-13
95 Minutes 

Plot:  Tom, a youngish man who believes in true love, meets Summer, a girl who does not believe in love. 

"This is not a love story. It is a story about love." (500) Days of Summer's first words sum up it's nature completely. For those who wish to label it a romantic comedy, this indie isn't really that. Those who have seen (500) Days of Summer will understand what I mean; as it is hard to describe without giving much away. Much of (500)'s brilliance lies in how offbeat it is. Tom and Summer's relationship goes back and forth, and at times, is more harsh than most movies would go. Creativity is also huge as well: one scene, showing what Tom wants to happen and what actually does, is both funny and heartbreaking. And there are fun pokes at film noir, from references to brief segments mimicing avant garde. Even for those who would not care much for those kinds of things, (500) Days of Summer is, at times, absurdly funny. I'll never hear sweet and sour the same again. What really makes (500) shine is how unique it is, and that just being non-traditional can be celebrated.

Last updated: 2010-04-11 20:51:40 by user01

Booze Revooze: A Drinker’s Skewed View of (500) Days of Summer

Ramblings: Unseasonably Tepid

Final Proof: 2 Shots

You know how you see these billboards of a new bar with some radical name and the radio ads sound pretty cool so you think you’ll discover yet another home away from home until you get there and find the place is jacked full of yuppies, the drinks are overpriced and watered down, and not only is it ‘decorated’ but all the decoration is imitation English pub crap that came out of some Ikean nightmare? That’s where i found myself in this flick.

What a disappointing Summer. Here i was expecting this nice indie film getaway and ended up at a run of the mill Motel 6 in the middle of the the suburbs. Basically what you have here is a package tour, emphasis on the word ‘package’. Because that’s all this movie is:  marketing to the independent circuit. They get this cool poster and start a lot of buzz and spin it as a quirky thing off the beaten path when in fact it’s standard romantic comedy fare parked dead center in the middle of the road.

Sundance my ass. i’d like to Sun-dance on their freakin’ graves is what. Just ranting about how they manipulated me into seeing this infuriates me and i feel like going up to the top of this review and ripping a star down, but that wouldn’t be fair to Zooey Deschanel, who turned in a neat performance. She did what she could to keep this film cutting edge cute but there was too much other crap holding it back, like the script. Like a narrator who rarely narrates, which is in fact a good thing because his lines come across as Pushing Up Daisies throwaways. Like scenes which are supposed to be ‘experimental’ but actually have all the originality of Applebee’s sports memorabilia.

One pleasant surprise was the supporting role of Rachel, the lead guy’s younger sister, as portrayed by 12-year-old Chloe Grace Moretz.  Her performance was solid, especially when considering her age. Keep an eye on her, sh’s one to watch.

Sex: 1 Shot

Obviously, there’s Zooey Descahnel. She’s gorgeous, talented and she’s got that whole black hair/blue eyes look that’s the hottest thing since the creation of fire. Trust me, i know, Miss D’s got it going on too and–whoa my god!
  
There was another hottie in the last scene but she was one of those pinup hotties, not the same natural beauty as Zooey. Still, i’ll post a couple pics for you on the off chance you don’t mind looking at pinup hotties.
The main thing i liked about the sex in this movie is that the director didn’t feel the need to go there. i mean, face it, there’s no way Zooey is gonna go full on nude and one of the bazillion things i hate are ’soft’ sex scenes which are nothing but close ups of arm skin and women doing it in their bras. These scenes have all the eroticism of an armpit in a deodorant commercial.

Drinks: 1 Shot

We get to see the best friend drunk on stage singing karaoke. Yippee.  Guffaw guffaw. Geoffrey Arend plays the friend and does a usual crap job acting blitzed. Another crap drunk performance is given by the male lead, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, when he’s drinking with a blind date in a bar, telling her how hooked he was on Zooey/Summer. The stars also drink shots at a wedding, but nothing special here, either.

The 12-year-old gives her older brother a glass of straight vodka when he breaks up with Summer. He also drinks homemade margaritas when he’s bummed at a party. At the depths of his depression he meals on Jack Black and Twinkies that he buys from a convenience store in his bathrobe. Interesting how most of the drinking done in this movie is when people are depressed. Guess Hollywood is trying to sell us the idea we’re only allowed to get bombed when we’re blue.

Rock & Roll: ½ shot

Some indie music to trick us into thinking it’s an indie film, but don’t get me started on that again or i’ll get depressed and, apparently, have to start drinking.

We get the Smiths. Carla Bruni. We get Hall & Oats, for chrissakes. To top it off: Simon & Garfunkel. Now i like Simon & Garfunkel. i even like the song they played, “Bookends”. Still, no one’s gonna confuse it with anything even remotely related to rock and roll anytime soon.

Boring Technical Crap

Written by: Scott Neustadter & Michael H Weber

Directed by: Marc Webb

Starring

Zooey Deschanel – Summer Finn

Chloe Grace Moretz – Rachel Hansen

Some Guy – Tom Hansen

[Ok, ok, his name is Joseph Gordon-Levitt]

Bottom Line

Don’t bother seeing it.

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Al K Hall<br />
Functional Alcoholic Slurperson<br />
(No, REALLY. Google &amp;quot;Slurperson&amp;quot; if you don't believe me.)

Last updated: 2010-04-04 22:04:51 by user08

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

***
As far as quirky soggy-indie-pop-laced hipster romances go, you could do much worse than this – the leads, at the very least, are likable and engaging. There is a whiff – actually, more of a stench – of self-pity to the script though that leaves an aftertaste.

500 Days Of Summer

Starring: Zooey Dechanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Romantic Comedy, 2009 (Rated PG 13)


A greeting card writer falls head over heels in love with the new secretary at the office. Summer is totally upfront in her non belief in love and lack of desire to have a serious relationship or commitment but Mark is so in love he pursues her anyways like a love sick puppy. What follows is the story of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl sort of falls in love with boy, boy wants more, and girl breaks up with boy.

• This movie is a testament to the concept that you cannot force love. It is either there or it isn't and no amount of wanting it to be so will make it any different.
• There were some cool quirky effects throughout the movie that kept it fun and interesting.
• It was cool to see Dechanel play a character that actually had a real job!!!
• Mark is the perfect kind of guy that every girl wants but only some are lucky enough to get. Despite all of his wonderfulness Summer just wasn't interested and sometimes that's just the way love goes.

4 Stars

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Just Me

Last updated: 2010-03-13 07:58:59 by user05

(500) Days of Summer: Movie Review

Seeing the movie title "(500) Days of Summer" and hearing about chicks getting excited about it would probably turn most guys off. You can definitely imagine eyes rolling and hearing sighs telling "Not another rom-com!". Well surprisingly, "(500) Days of Summer" is not a romantic comedy and the movie states from the get-go that this is not another love story. What is intriguing about this film is that we just cannot pinpoint what kind of film it is. Is it a drama? Is it purely comedic, satirical in nature? Is it just about life and reality? The definite question though is did it work out all right even with it mixed nature? To find out our answer, read on.

The film can be summed up by it's tagline: "Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't." Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has always believed in fate when it comes to love. In fact, he has waited all his life for that one girl that will sweep him off his feet. One day, Tom gets to see his soul mate in Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). The two couldn’t be more different - Summer doesn’t even think the concept of love exists. Summer eventually proposes that they stop seeing each other. Can Tom move on from this “break-up” or will he eventually do all he can to win Summer back?

"(500) Days of Summer" truly is a remarkable film. It is such a deep and compelling movie that essentially sums up what most of us have endured in love and in life. But even with its near philosophical nature, the tone is light, upbeat and funny. You will never feel bored or overwhelmed even with all the complex scenes that are popping up on screen. The story too is presented on a nonlinear way. The film jumps from the days when Tom and Summer are together to when they are apart. Some people might say that this is a surefire way for the narrative to backfire but actually, it compliments it. There are also scenes where there are non-conventional film styles not seen in mainstream movies (changes in film color, screen splits). What makes this movie special is actually its lack of identity that makes it really flexible for any viewer. You can sit down and watch it as a comedy or you can interpret it as a deep love story. We might not agree that this is not a love story in nature but who cares? And did we mention the wonderful movie soundtrack and the part wherein the movie turns into a musical? Definitely more reasons for you to catch the movie!

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:
- a deep and complex film that never bogs you down
- the plot, narrative and film style is one-of-a-kind when it comes to mainstream films

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- a mixed bag that might not meet your expectations as a comedy or a drama

Recommendations:

Last updated: 2010-03-12 03:05:06 by user06

(500) Days of Summer

I give the movie: 4.5/5

"This is not a love story." The movie forewarns, although sometimes you'd wish it was. But as far as romantic comedies go, this one will be a memorable addition.

Greeting card writer and hopeless romantic, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), meets the alluringly elusive Summer (Zooey Deschanel) at his work place, and he proclaims he has fallen in love. However, as the opening scene tells us, she will break up with him, and the rest of the movie is a back-and-forth zipping of the 500 days they've been together, with Tom revisiting his memories to find out what went wrong.

Unconventional is the word of the day. Marc Webb's debut feature film follows a non-linear but oft-amusing storyline, and interlaces the movie with quirky cuts, including a song-and-dance sequence (homage to Enchanted - oh yes, you read that right), and a split-screen that shows two versions of a scene at the same time, just to name a few.

The off-beat result matches the two characters' hot-and-cold relationship, and they do produce some hilarious moments. The charm of both the lead actors add colour to an already vibrant template.

But the big question here is: Will he discover the truth? Will he solve the problem? The film does answer that on day 499, and suffice to say, it stuck by to what it claimed at the start.

FINAL SAY: 

When a rom-com essentially makes you question "What is love?", you know you're in for something different. But is it gooddifferent? It is up for you to judge. I just thought it was very special. You can't stop smiling.

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Wilson Ng - http://wilsoniscurious.blogspot.com/

Last updated: 2010-03-13 23:31:22 by wilsoniscurious

500 Days of Summer - ****

Review:  I had heard many good things about this movie, but wasn't sure what to expect from it.  Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  This movie quickly climbed into my top five favorite from 2009.  The movie was made in an ingenious fashion switching back and forth between days within the "500" billed in the title. 

The movie centers around the main character (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his relationship with the "girl of his dreams" Summer, and how that relationship changes over the course of 500 days.  He goes from intrigue to infatuation to love to hate and back again all in the course of this 500 days. 

What makes the movie so good is how convincing and real the characters are.  I think everyone has had a situation where they dated
or really liked someone and it didn't work out, and this movie really nails that feeling perfectly.  The characters were easy to identify with and made the movie more real and enjoyable.    Definitely worth your time.

500 days of summer

i like how the voice over at the beginning tells you, “this is not a love story.”  and the tag line they have on imdb.com says, “boy meets girl.  boy falls in love.  girl does not.”

let me start by saying i can truly relate to the character Tom in this movie.  Tom is played smartly by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  who looks eerily like heath ledger if you ask me. we will not get into how well i relate to Tom here.  that’s for another blog.

he falls for the always enchanting Zooey Deschanel.  who i just love.  she’s great.  i think i fell in love with her during this movie. i mean really, she’s great.

pay attention during the opening credits.  there’s a line right after them that sets the attitude for the film.

it’s a fair study on the nature of human relationships.  and it’s done in a witty fashion with beautiful, likable characters.  there are some very interesting transitions including a big dance sequence.  i’m not sure what’s not to like.

some people will call this the best date movie ever.  i can’t call it the best ever.  i mean, we’ve all seen this film before.  my generation calls this movie Singles.  i saw Definatly, Maybe a few weeks ago and that is this type of film.  with just a little bit of an edge.

this movie has a message for dorky, tweaked out dudes all over the world.

four popcorn buckets out of five.  and two diet cokes.  and some goobers and raisinettes mixed into the same box.  so ya never know if your getting nutty or squishy.  it’s an adventure in flavor excitement.

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Cal Reed

Last updated: 2010-03-02 23:42:12 by user02

500 Days of Summer

"500 Days of Summer", directed by Marc Webb and starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is simply put one of the best movies to come out this year.  Summer is generally the time of year for lots of sequels or other poorly made blockbuster movies, so "500 Days of Summer" is a welcome change.  Everything in the movie just works.

The movie opens with the narrator saying "This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story."  And that's exactly what the movie is like.  Love stories as far as movies are concerned are often times predictable, tired, and cliched.  "500 Days of Summer" is not like that at all.  In the movie Tom Hansen (Gordon-Levitt) works at a greeting card company and one day Summer Finn (Deschanel) joins the staff and Tom falls for her and they begin dating.  He seems to want a much more serious relationship than she is initially willing to give him.  The movie does not follow their relationship chronologically though, starting with day 488 and going back and forth between various points in the couples relationship, both the good times, and the not so good.

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were perfectly cast as the two leads.  This is the first movie I have seen with Gordon-Levitt so I can't comment on his other works, but I have previously enjoyed watching Deschanel in "Elf" and "Yes Man"  The two actors have chemistry with one another and are believable as characters and the audience begins caring about and relating to these two different people.  The other actors in the film that portrayed other friends and co-workers were also well cast, but obviously overshadowed by the two leads.

The writing is great as well. The narration is effective and a welcome addition to the movie and having the movie go out of order adds a more original aspect to the story.  The script is the perfect length, having the movie clock in at a round an hour and a half.  Nothing is drawn out and every scene including a brief musical number complete with animated bird, just like an old Disney movie, the couple going through IKEA pretending that they live in each of the model rooms, and Summer getting mad at Tom for trying to protect her from a guy at a bar they are in, has a reason for being in the final cut of the movie.  Just about every joke is executed perfectly and fits so well with the tone of the film.  And when the script turns serious for a moment it still works well and flows naturally.

"500 Days of Summer" is well casted, written, directed, paced, and has a great soundtrack.  It's a romantic comedy, just a whole lot better than most and well worth the time and money to see it.  4 stars out of 4.  I'm pretty sure most people will have a pretty hard time finding a better movie this year...except maybe "Up."

Super Marcey's (500) Days Of Summer Review

Rating: 3/5

This is a film I had been really excited about when I first saw the trailer, as time went on I wasn't as excited and it kind of flew off the radar. I've finally gotten around to seeing it, after all the praise I had heard about it and the negative things, for me it fell in the middle. Average film, I appreciated that it was different then the usual film of this type you might see. I am a huge Joseph Gordon Levitt fan, so I will watch him in anything. I was happy to see him in a role like this, and I enjoyed him in the film. Zooey Deschanel is a gorgeous woman, and she has this quirky way about her which worked for Summer. Basically this film is about Tom and Summer, they meet at the work place, become friends and Tom falls for Summer however Summer isn't interested in a relationship and things get complicated as they would.

See now normally in a film, you would see the girl fall for the guy, and the guy isn't interested in a relationship or he uses her (Bridget Jones Diary is a good example with Hugh Grant's character). However (500) Days Of Summer decides to give a different look at things, and shows the girl not wanting something serious where as the guy does, he wants that relationship. It is rather easy to relate to the situation, how many of us have liked someone but they don't want anything serious? Sure you go out like a couple, make out, and get hanky panky but it isn't anything more then 'fun'. That is what they have, but Tom sees it as more and Summer doesn't. Simple as that, and as we find out Summer has her issues and her reasons. I felt that the character of Summer wasn't as likeable as she should have been. I did find her to be irritating at times, and I found it a bit difficult to understand how Tom fell so hard for her (looks aside). Tom's character is cute, and he was likeable for me, but I think that was due in part to the great performance from Joseph Gordon. There are some great scenes with Tom and his younger sister, which are actually quite touching and really well done.

Bits and pieces of this film worked for me while others didn't, and overall it didn't connect with me the way I thought it might. The script is rather good, it has some great scenes and some really great lines of dialogue. I felt though that Summer and Tom were not really fleshed out enough, and it would have been good to have gotten some more motivation behind their actions. I actually didn't mind the structure of the film with it bouncing back and forth between their time together. The dance sequence comes out of nowhere and it fit the quirkiness of the film, and I didn't mind that. The music was great, this film has a fantastic soundtrack which is really enjoyable. I am not sure I fully understand all the love this film gets, I felt it was some what cold at times and it can be a rather sad film. I did feel that Marc Webb did a good job as director, I mean they both did what they could with the roles and they did have their charms, more so him than her which I will get to in a moment. 

As I said I appreciate that it was different but I would have liked it to have hit me more, which it didn't. It kind of left me feeling rather cold, and not really being able to connect with the characters. They both really needed to be more likeable (Tom was but as the film progressed less so), especially Summer, but she comes off as someone you want to slap sideways at times and I am sure that factor made this less enjoyable. If she was more likeable, it might have hurt more but at least maybe we could have understood her a little better. I think perhaps maybe the mood wasn't right when I watched this, and I am willing to give it another shot and see if I like it more on a second viewing. But for me this was average, with some laughs but mostly a lot of irritation and sadness.

(Written 23 Feb 2010, first published at SuperMarcey.com) 

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Recommendations: Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009), Milk, Hurt Locker, The (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009)

Last updated: 2010-02-23 01:50:26 by SuperMarcey

(500) Days of Summer

"(500) Days" is a breezy love story with likeable young leads and a gently humorous script.

Crucially, it takes a hard and honest look at the notion of romantic love when the central relationship finally melts down (and it always melts down). That look is what I take away from this movie, and it's the principal reason I enjoyed it as much as I did. But we'll get to that.

Obviously there is no young love without young lovers. The young lovers of "(500) Days" are Tom (played by rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who works at a greeting card company writing pithy homilies, and Summer (played by current arthouse star Zooey Deschanel), the new girl in the office.

It's love at first sight for Tom, but only mild interest at first sight for Summer.

The movie skips around in time. We might have a scene from day (314) of the relationship followed by a scene from day (7).

The non-chronological structure is a clue that this story has been done before, and is in need of a gimmick to make it feel fresh.

In addition to the fact that there are no new situations here, there are also no new characters. The affable, love-besotten protagonist, the pretty but somewhat bland love interest, the wacky friends, the wiser-than-her-years younger sister. We've met all these characters dozens if not hundreds of times before.

But this is not a fatal flaw, for the movie is propelled not by characters or situations but by an idea, and it's a good one: Tom falls in love with Summer, and while they have a relationship, she never falls in love with him. Eventually, of course, she goes and falls in love with someone else.

This does what every movie should do: it makes the main character re-examine his or her most closely held beliefs. In this case, Tom -- poor, romantic Tom -- has to re-evaluate how he feels about the existence of ideal love in a less-than-ideal world.

He concludes that it doesn't exist; that all our pop songs, Hollywood movies and, yes, cheerful greeting cards -- amount to a big lie.

This conclusion is not definitive, even within the context of the movie, but it is heartfelt and played for maximum authenticity. The realization that actual human love is not what one thought -- and not the ideal our culture promotes -- is a vastly important moment of growth in a person's life, and to see Tom go through it with all the pain and despair the moment demands makes "(500) Days" worth the price of admission.

Beautifully, the moment where Tom joins the rest of us in the adult world (you're with me here, right???) occurs not when Summer breaks up with him. That's too easy. A break-up, for all its misery, is still the stuff of melodrama and its grand, adolescent emotions.

Tom's real moment of change occurs when he runs into Summer by chance, some time after the break-up, and she invites him to a party taking place at her apartment later that week. In a brilliantly clever touch, the film-makers present two versions of the party in split-screen format, one side labelled "Expectation" and the other labelled "Reality." Ay yi yi! Who doesn't know what that's like?

I could have done without the standard "go be an architect" subplot. The classy success a career in architecture represents has been forever spoiled for me by George Costanza of "Seinfeld," who eternally wished he was an architect because it sounded so impressive.

In real life it seems to me that hardly anyone actually becomes an architect, and that architects aren't more productive or impressive than anyone else, but it's a small quibble in a movie that takes a wry and wise look at a subject much larger than architecture, a subject that dominates ninety percent of every artistic endeavor ever undertaken, and offers something useful in a kind, friendly way.

Thus proving that even five hundred days of summer can go by quickly if you are having a good time.

SCORE:

How Accomplished: 73/100

How Much I Enjoyed: 73/100

(500) Days of Summer

In contrast to the last review, I. Love. This. Movie. 500 Days is my current favorite of 2009, that is until Avatar comes out of course. This film is just another reason why I love indie films so much. It hits everything with perfect charm and wit and they do it all with little to no budgets.




The film is a story about an offbeat romance of boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. But girl doesn't.They spend 500 days together and girl leaves boy heartbroken after that. He begins to tell the story of their 500 days in non-linear order to find out what went wrong.


Okay so first I gotta talk about the two leads of the movie. Zooey Deschanel really surprised me with her acting. Summer kinds reminds me of Annie Hall for some reason, not to mention she is mad beautiful. Though some parts through the movie I just wanted to hate her, I couldn't. Shes that girl that we guys just can't hate no matter what.


Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a character every guy can relate to. A nice boy just trying his best to impress the girl way out of his league and the frustration he feels when the feelings aren't mutual. I like Joseph Gordon-Levitt man. I root for this guy. You want him to get the girl. There was a scene where his character finally got Summer and he breaks into a fantasy dance sequence (which I bet all us guys feel like doing when they get the girl of their dreams) BTW, don't ya'll think he's the spitting image of Heath Ledger?!



If you liked the humour from indie gems like Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, 500 is perfect for you. It a sweet mix for warm comedy and drama. Prepare for lots of clever, witty one-liners and retorts. And wow, the supporting cast was phenomenal.



The method the story is told is incredibly genius to. The editing is incredibly innovative. There is one amazing scene where Gordon-Levitts character is going to a party in Summers place and the screen gets split in two. On the left side it shows how his character hopes thier date would turn out and the right side shows his cold brutal reality. Flawlessly beautiful. Something I bet we can all relate to.




Best damn show I've seen this year. I will announce that once more. You guys have got to check this out. It just leaves you with a big grin on your face and that fuzziness inside without compromising with it's serious message of heartbreak and commitment.

RATING: 9/10 (Someone please beg me for the DVD. This movie must be seen!)

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NicholasC

500 Days of Summer

If you’ve ever mooned over a girl, this movie’s for you. Yes, savour that paper-cut smile. You know the girl I’m talking about. You met her in your teens or your early twenties. She had a way of dressing just so. Her quirks were sonnet-worthy. She probably rode a bike, or played an obscure instrument. The chances of the relationship working were nil, but her cool only encouraged you. For you, love was all about delay. So you pratted about; writing a script for the pair of you, while she eyed up someone else. It ended. You met the right girl. And now you get to laugh fondly at yourself in 500 Days of Summer.

An ordinary guy with a yo-yo heart meets a pretty girl. They work at the same office. He regards his job like a comfortable chair. Instead of a career, he’s focused on romance (oh for a swirly font!). The pretty girl wants to date (which is: Not. The. Same. Thing). They go out, and the guy assembles his own heartbreak. The trick in the movie is that we keep hopping back and forth between Day 1, when Summer was the guy’s kooky saviour, and Day 450, when she “took a giant shit on [his] face”. Summer never quite promises him anything, but yearning (as we know) thrives on what’s “almost”.

Nerds are powerless to resist Zooey Deschanel. She’s named after a J.D. Salinger novel. She has a voice like a disappointed cloud. Her eyes are like bloody tractor-beams (to use an appropriately nerdy simile). And she dresses demurely. In 500 Days of Summer her role is to be everything a nerd’s heart could desire (in short: seemingly approachable, but actually remote). Like most girls in boy-meets-girl movies, she’s present in the boy’s head more than she is on screen. But Zooey can do a lot without talking, and she makes Summer into someone forgivable, even when she breaks a boy’s heart. She’s the perfect girl for a recollected love affair: spiky, sad, and pretty in a way you either worship, or can’t understand.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks like the kind of guy who’d fall for Zooey; a guy who thinks too much. From his pencil-thin physique to his earnest eyebrows, he beckons big knotty feelings. Like a young Samuel Beckett, he’s a good-looking nerd who’s a bit intense for most girls. But scrunched-up guys are good for comedy. The movie might be a rough road for Gordon-Levitt’s character, but it’s ok to laugh. He’s going through hell – but it’s the good kind of hell (heartbreak, like braces, is ultimately beneficial). And when he’s happy – as the song-and-dance scene shows – he can hear music, like the rest us. The movie isn’t a tragic, how-I-lost-her story. It’s about a neurotic who discovers misery won’t kill him.

First-time director Marc Webb is obviously a guy who’s watched Annie Hall, but his movie isn’t going to get him sued by Woody Allen. 500 Days of Summer is more like a twenty-something’s primer for how romantic comedies should be made. After all, we’re a long way from the non-linear hey-day of the 1970s. A rom-com is seen as radical these days if the heroine stops herself from falling over. So Webb is obliged to keep a few staples in: the friends who act as a Greek chorus, a sing-along-able soundtrack, and so on. Where 500 Daysdoes buck the (recent) trend is in its honesty: love, in this movie, does not guarantee wedding bells.

I promise you this: you will miss the days when you loved the wrong girl. Not the girl herself. (You know by now she wasn’t right for you.) But this movie nails the bliss of being hung up. A love that lasts doesn’t involve much walking on eggshells. But precarious love – love that’s one-and-a-half-sided – one constantly fraught and sputtering, is nothing but cherished tenterhooks. You get older and you find love can be simple (i.e. the girl loves you back, and shows this by making your life better). But everyone should experience a love that’s not right.  Only robots have no scars.

500 Days Of Summer

After all the insipid and crappy romantic comedies in the last ten years the heavens have finally opened and the best romantic comedy in ages was born! This is the sunniest, happiest and most joyful movie experiences I have had in a long time. This is a wonderful depiction of true love and how hard it is to maintain it. Most of the romantic comedies I have seen for years have depressed me. Is that how wonderful real love and romance is? I feel that those writers have no ideal about romance and that scares me. Where has romance gone and why are we afraid to indulge in our romatic feelings? I actually think watching this movie will make the World a better place. This movie is funny, very romantic and you will leave the theatre with a huge grin on your face. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are two of our best young actors and they are extremely pleasant to look at. Now the World will know why I am completely in love with Deschanel and why Levitt will take over for Heath Ledger as the best young actor in film today. They are very good and the movie will make you muchy happier than any movie this past year. The montage set to the Hall and Oates song "You Make My Dreams Come True" is an instant classic as is this romantic comedy. Ah yes romance lives again!

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Vincent Snavely

The best semi-romantic comedy of 2009

/</igspan style="font-size: 2px;"/>/igAmong all the flashy CGI spectacle released into theaters during the summer of 2009 (Land of the Lost, Transformers 2</span>, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra to name a few), there was one diamond in the coal mine that shone brightest of all- <span style="text-decoration: underline;">500 Days of Summer. Directed by Marc Webb, whose previous credits include a slew of music videos, the movie tells the story of Tom, a failed architect turned greeting card writer who is desperately seaching for "the one". In comes Summer, a quirky happy-go-lucky assistant who doesn't believe in true love or even being in a relationship. Tom almost immediately falls for Summer and the two share a cute romantic friendship that may or may not be something more. But then, out of nowhere, Summer breaks it off, leaving Tom hurt and determined to win her back. Now, I personally have never been a fan of Zooey Deschanel, since she seems to play the same character in every movie she's in. Furthermore, her character in this film is whimsical and impulsive, almost to the point of inconsiderate about Tom's feelings. However, Tom's adoration brings a special quality to Summer that makes the viewer see her differently. There is something unique about her, further supported by a character introduction early in the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's portrayal of love-struck Tom is note perfect, from his unrealistic expectations and assumptions to his depression and angst. Told in no particular order, 500 Days of Summer is a story of boy-meets-girl, but not a love story set in vibrant and eclectic LA that should stick around for much longer than 500 days. </span>

(500) Days of Summer (review published August 2009)

What a pleasant film! You are lucky if once a year you find a gem like this one that has you cheering as you walk out of the theatre, not only for its uplifting nature but its artistic insight.
 
(500) Days of Summer is, in many ways, a psychological study of the affect a romantic relationship has on a person. Chronologically, this film is out of whack, to say the least. But not until now am I realizing just how much this movie travelled back and forth across its story's timeline. There is a smooth flow to the chaos. We start with Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in a sad state (to put it mildly) and go from there, traversing the mountains and valleys of the relationship from Tom's emotional perspective.
 
Director Marc Webb doesn't take a defining approach to the story. This seemed to bother Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal, as the film was "searching for a style." But how else do you expect to portray a relationship? It can't be told in just one way. There are too many dimensions to it all and too many emotions to convey.
 
The title has been listed two ways, one with the parenthesis surrounding the 500 and one without. I prefer to use the parenthesis. Just to say "500 Days of Summer" seems to label those 500 days of the relationship between Tom and Summer as a sum of sorts. It's like looking at the relationship as a whole and ignoring the individual elements that make it that whole. This movie examines those individual elements and contrives an epic journey that is universal in all aspects.
 
Tom is all of us. Watch this film and you will find yourself feeling what he feels because you've been there before. Summer (wonderfully casted as Zooey Deschanel) has that child-like look in her eyes that makes you melt. You can't help but fall for her pleasant demeanor and be heartbroken when you realize Tom is ultimately not what she wants.
 
I am not sure what else I can say to explain this film to you. It has to be felt.

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(500) Days of Summer [2009] --- 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022603/



Now I had heard a lot about this movie before I went to go see it. But the only thing that I was positive of when I went in was that Zooey Deschanel was in it. I love Zooey like you could not imagine. This movie took my love of her one step further and I never thought that was possible.

The movie starts off by clearly stating that this is not a love story and you think it’s a lie, but you keep on watching anyways. It’s really about an over-obsessive guy and a girl who doesn’t want attachments.  I found it hard to believe that it was not a love story the whole way through, but the ending proved that it was right; it was not a love story.

But here’s the thing. What if you went to school to be an architect and ended up writing greeting cards? That would suck, right? I know I would hate it, but then again so does the main character Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He hates it so much that at one point during the movie I expected him to stand on his boss’s desk and piss in his mouth, no joke. It never happened but that’s the feel I got.

Really the story is told over the course of 500 days, and Zooeys character is named Summer (the title, hint hint.) but it plays the events all out of order but in a good way, not like you have to put together the pieces of the puzzle, it’s just interesting, but there’s no secret. It’s not a murder mystery; it’s just enjoyable to watch.

Now there was one scene where something amazing happened to Tom and as he was walking to work it turned into a song and dance. Literally it was a musical for all of about 5 minutes, the entire time I was laughing it was so awesome. There was even a point in that where he checked his reflection on the glass and saw Hans Solo looking back at him. I lost it right there. My hat is off to the man who thought of that. Seriously 5 million kudos to that man.

But like all good movies, there is always both sides of emotions that need to be played for a film to work, and this had its ups just as much as it had its downs. An extremely well balanced flik that kept me interested from start to finish. I can’t wait to watch it again.

All in all no matter who you are this is a film worth seeing, if not for the song and dance scene alone.

Base Score = 8
+1 for Zooey Deschanel
+1 for making me like Zooey Deschanel even more
-1 for not being a love story, but making me think it was while making me think it wasn't while knowing that it was but was proven wrong at the very last minute.
+1 for an ending that makes you grin from ear to ear
=10/10

Last updated: 2010-01-21 13:01:54 by Tolll

Moon Minis - (500) Days of Summer

Two indie sweethearts meet by chance at a greeting card company and begin to explore their relationship with each other in this experimental rom-com from music video director Marc Webb. Both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are charming and flawed enough to carry the problems of the film, but it is Gordon-Levitt who shines, perhaps partially because of his character's love-charmed personality. Deschanel plays a different breed of woman from her other roles, one who resents the tethers of falling in love and "uses" Gordon-Levitt as a friend with benefits.

(500) Days of Summer does use its share of quirky indie moments; boy and girl meet while listening to The Smiths, which, of course, is no surprise considering both of their interests. But the film also has a few genuinely inspiring moments, both in script-writing and experimentation. Utilizing a number of interesting techniques, including jumps forwards and backwards in time to highlight the good and the bad of remembering a failed relationship and side-by-side scenes juxtaposing each other, (500) Days of Summer stands out from the more traditional romantic comedies by never actually feeling like one. And on an even better note, the movie is realistic in approach.

Throughout, there's a subtle hint that the event we want, even hope, to happen will never come to fruition; that it was just not meant to be. The end might skirt the audience's upbeat ideas of love, but it also comes with a stronger, more emotional message than having the love succeed - the 500 days of Summer might end, but a true love warms forever.

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Last updated: 2010-01-17 01:24:09 by user01

500 Days of Summer

Last updated: 2010-01-18 14:50:40 by malikaziz

(500) Days of Summer [SPOILERS IN REVIEW]

***This review has MASSIVE SPOILERS in it, if you don’t want the story spoiled for you, I suggest reading this article after viewing the film. Once again, MASSIVE SPOILERS!!!!! Sincerely, Rammfan518***

To be honest, when I first heard about this movie on ABC’s “At the Movies” show, I thought it was just some other indie movie with drawings for titles and music with inconsistent melodies or tempos (which I can’t stand). I don’t really remember what the two critics said, or what anybody said, for that matter, and didn’t really have a desire to see it. Before leaving to return “Inglorious Basterds” to the video store, my dad asked me to rent another one. After much chilling, walking around the isles, and debating with myself, I grabbed “(500) Days of Summer.” The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Zooey Deschanel is alright in my book, but I am not obsessed with her like some of my like-aged friends (I actually prefer her sister, Emily, on the TV series “Bones”, grr). I shrugged off the big-name actress and popped it in. What followed was one of the best movies I saw this year.

The movie begins with Tom Hansen, a hopelessly romantic greeting-card-writer, whose dreams of being an architect are fading away. Due to an overexposure of lovey-dovey films and soaps as a child, he has come to the belief that he will not truly be happy unless he finds true love. One day, his boss at the company hires a new assistant, Summer Finn, who he falls for immediately. The film tells the story of the next 500 days, the ups and downs of the relationship, the good times, and (spoiler alert!) it’s eventual end.

The film is told in a unique, nonlinear narrative. Each new scene or sequence is introduced by a title card, telling us what day “of Summer” it is. We start on Day 1, then skip to 290, then back to 1, and so on, bouncing all over the place. The film jumps back and forth between the early and later days of the relationship, which chronicle the incredible highs and the unbelievably excruciating lows of the confusing, emotional situation. Scenes where Tom is skipping down the street (early days) are immediately cut to a shot of him depressingly schlepping out of an elevator (later days). The film’s unique narrative style really makes it stand out from other traditional-structured-to-the-T romantic comedies, and it does so without being overly “artsy” or “indie,” which is amazing!

I guess my favorite aspect of this movie is that it is REAL. It’s got to be the most REAL romantic-drama-comedy I have seen since 2000’s “High Fidelity” and 2007’s “Chasing Amy.” I don’t want to spoil it for you (so go watch it and then read this!), but on day 290, the couple breaks up. Tom is shattered. His whole world crumbles around him, and it shows. His hair is tattered, his eyes are half open, and he seems to have apathy toward walking or breathing at all. That is REAL. This story isn’t about the jock or the bad boy who finally feels something and “changes himself” for the girl, finally winning her and living happily ever after. And Summer is a REAL character also. She isn’t some cookie-cutter cheerleader or even the cookie-cutter indie-chick who listens to obscure bands and wears funky clothes. Ok, she does listen to obscure bands, but it’s not forced by the filmmakers that we she love her because she is different and funky. We love her just because we do, and we love Tom, and we love them together.


Summer states near the beginning of the film, and continues on through the film, not wanting a boyfriend or a relationship. yet dabbles in such territory with Tom for long period of time. When things get a bit more serious, she explains that she originally never wanted a boyfriend, at which Tom exclaims that she is not the only one who has a say in how things should go. Once again, a REAL argument that real couples, or non-couples, or confused, highly-emotional friends, have. The lines said by the characters in the film are all lines I have heard before from numerous women or coming out of my own mouth. In this film, impromptu confessions of love on live TV are not be found.

Another REAL part of this movie is when he goes to one of Summer’s parties long after the sad events of Day 290. The screen is split, showing two sequences. One sequence shows his expectations of what’s going to happen (the evil trick the mind plays on you in these sort of situations) and the other shows what’s really happening (Not really what he had in mind, at all, in fact, and led him to storm away from the party with a heavy heart).

The film continues to be REAL right until the end, and in the final scene, I was begging, begging for the two to get back together and be happy, but it didn’t work out like that, and you know what, life doesn’t either. I was practically on my knees, praying that she’d go back to him, but the film slapped me and told me to snap out of it. I was buying into the Hollywood happy ending, but the film stood firm. I wanted so badly for it to happen, but in my own life I wanted so badly for the same thing to happen, and it didn’t, so kudos to the filmmakers for that.

Perhaps I am identifying with the film a bit more because, as I have hinted at before, I have been through all this. I’ve heard these lines, had these same arguments, stormed away (escaped) from a girl’s apartment, dealt with heartbreak, and walked like a slow, depressed zombie after a relationship’s (or a non-relationship’s) dour aftermath, but that’s quite as far as I’ll go with talking about that. I saw a bit of myself in Tom and my goodness, I felt like I was watching a scene from my own past, but maybe that’s what someone needs before seeing this film. Without all my emotional baggage, I might not have enjoyed it as much.

And about the ending. . .some people might not like it, but as I said before, this movie is REAL, and although I wanted for them to get together more than anything in the world, they didn’t. That’s just something that happens. Some people just come into your life and affect you forever. Whether the attraction is a happy coincidence or something cosmic and unexplainable, it will not soon be forgotten, and I will not soon forget this film.

I recommend this flick to anyone who’s felt the sting of a relationship fizzled, especially those who can’t get a certain someone from lingering about their heart and mind. It’s funny, sad, true, enjoyable, and unique. Hell yea for making a REAL romance movie, filmmakers. It’s about time somebody told it how it is, and for that, I thank you.

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Recommendations: (500) Days Of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009)

Last updated: 2010-01-14 02:56:56 by rammfan518

Movie Review: 500 Days of Summer

In a recent blog post, I expressed qualms regarding the modern day romance comedy genre. I complained that nearly all romance comedies are cliched, unoriginal, and mostly boring. I also claimed that audiences are overly accepting of the lousy nature of this type of movie. While I still stand by my original sentiments and believe that we as audiences should demand better, there are exceptions to every rule. 500 Days of Summer is such an exception, and it knows it. It is almost funny that I should see this movie not a week after I complained so vehemently, because 500 Days of Summer recognizes the tired nature of its genre, and full-heartily rejects it.

Most romance comedies have a tightly structured first, second, and third act. Respectively, it usually goes like this: Boy meets girl and boy gets girl, boy has girl then loses girl, and boy has lost girl and fights to get her back. This formula is tried and true, and also very boring. Thankfully, 500 Days of Summer avoids that pitfall. Instead of using the cheese ball and rather easy love driven romance arc, it chooses to focus on its take of reality. That reality being the up and down roller coaster ride that is love.

For Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) love brings him to the highest of emotional highs, and to the lowest of emotional lows. Of course in a normal relationship things don’t usually happen overnight (Or mostly they don’t anyway, so I presume). In the world of real love, relationships often form and deteriorate gradually. I am young, and am certainly no expert, but I feel fairly confident about that claim. Either way, the writers of 500 Days of Summer cleverly solve this accuracy portrayal problem. Rather than create an unbelievably fluctuating relationship, they instead skip from chosen day to chosen day spanning the course of the entire experience. For Tom Hansen, there are 500 days of Summer (Played by Zooey Deschanel), and each day chosen showcases some different phase of his ups and downs with love.

The best part about 500 Days of Summer is the skipping around they do between days. We go from day 123, to day 1. From day 7, to day 33. Well, you get the idea. In doing so, they enable us to really get an accurate picture of how their relationship began, where it started to go wrong, and etcetera. This particular goal was definitely accomplished by the orchestrators of the film. It is difficult for me to say who should receive most of the artistic credit when judging from the outside, but I am going to guess that the creative freshness of the movie stems from the screenplay. While the dialogue didn’t blow me out of my seat with its brilliance or anything, there are some great moments in this movie thanks to what seems like a well written script. Director Marc Webb did a noteworthy job as well.

The interesting thing about the movie is, while I feel their creative choice to skip between days is probably its best feature, I also feel it could be its worst feature for some people. Since we are skipping all around, we do know roughly what will happen. This is not a manipulative, cathartic type of movie. There are no huge emotional build ups. How can there be? We are jumping too rapidly to stay in one emotional place. And that is exactly the point. They don’t separate our emotional feelings from one act to the other. It is all over the place, exactly how their relationship is reflected in the movie. Nobody should expect to have a good cry at the beauty or tragedy of their love. They shouldn’t expect to have their hearts broken or warmed. The movie seemed kind of bitter-sweet to me. Like real life.

I recommend this film: 3 and a half out of 4 stars.

Recommendations:

Last updated: 2010-01-02 22:46:37 by user01

500 days of summer

scrumptious. that’s what this movie is. i like everything about it: the non-linear plot, the camera style, the complete randomness, the references to jesus’ abs and facial defecation. some of the humour is reminiscent of joss whedon’s distinct style. i like that too.

there’s this little girl, the sister of the main character. she’s a veritable fountain of information. i wish i had a little sister who could be my oracle. i don’t. so i went to an elementary school to try and find one, but that didn’t end so well. there was yelling, and chasing. possibly threats.

much of 500 days of summer feels real. the locations chosen are things people can relate to. for example, a few scenes in the movie take place at ikea. i sometimes goto ikea. i can relate. i often struggle to build the furniture i buy and then end up cutting my hand on the screwdriver and not having all the pieces to finish the project and end up just throwing it out. it’s like lego for adults. but less fun.

the ups and downs of relationships was portrayed very well. the humour is there, making it easier to swallow, but by no means does it dilute the message. i read the movie was based on a real relationship; i think the realness comes through, and does nothing but improve the film.

i give this movie a 6.5/7. it loses half a point because it’s not exactly a love story and that made me cry. it warned me, at the beginning, of this eventual outcome. but i wasn’t listening.

http://suckfail.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/500-days-of-summer/

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Last updated: 2009-12-23 13:05:30 by suckfail

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

Finally, a great movie has come along to rescue me from the summer dreck.  (500) Days of Summer is the best movie I have seen so far this year.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom, a once-aspiring architect who has wound up working at a greeting card company.  This is where he meets Summer, the new administrative assistant.  It’s love at first sight for Tom.  Sounds like a typical ”chick flick” or romantic comedy, right?  It’s not.  There’s no love at first sight for Summer; she doesn’t believe in relationships or boyfriends.
Summer is played by Zooey Deschanel.  I’ve found her rather unlikeable in other recent films, with her gigantic blue eyeballs and this kind of spacey care-free aura that makes her seem soulless.  That may be what makes her perfect for this role.  I mentioned that Summer doesn’t believe in relationships, but you wouldn’t know it by how things develop at first with her and Tom.  She does find herself attracted to him and they start to spend a good deal of time with each other.  There are times where they certainly act like a couple.  She just doesn’t want that label… and maybe not the commitment either.  It’s once that Tom realizes this that he starts to spiral out of control.
The title of the film refers to the amount of time that Tom knows Summer, at least before he can get over her and move on to a new part of his life.  The narrator actually lets you know at the beginning of the film that this is not a love story.  Things do not work out for Tom and Summer.  The film is unique in that it shows you various days in the time they’ve known each other.  It even goes out of order which is surprisingly effective.  You see how the same situation after 400 days is not nearly as fun as it was for them in the first 100 days, not for Summer anyway.  She loses interest over time while Tom maintains the same interest as when they first met.  There are some really clever scenes that help the viewer feel Tom’s highs and lows throughout their time together.  One scene uses a split-screen to contrast his expectations of a certain situation with the actual reality of what happens.  There’s even a hilarious musical number to convey how great Tom feels after sleeping with Summer for the first time.  It’s a rare musical scene that most guys can actually relate to.
While many movies portray the man in a relationship as being the one who can’t commit or just can’t make it work, this is one film that finally shows things the other way around.  Women can be just as difficult as men if not moreso.  If anything, men tend to be a little more straightforward and easier to read even if it’s not what the woman is hoping for.  Most men will tell you that women are an enigma and just can’t be figured out.  What happens with Summer by the film’s end is a total contradiction of everything she ever told Tom.  Women like this do exist and I’m glad that it’s finally being shown.  Trying to figure her out eventually causes Tom nothing but frustration.  However,  the movie peppers in funny and heartfelt moments that make it very enjoyable to watch.  See this movie.

Recommendations: The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Se7en , 25th Hour

http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-philadelphia/danny-porcaro

(500) Days Of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009)

Marc Webb’s feature-length debut is an assured one; (500) Days Of Summer endears to our hearts unlike probably any other romantic-comedy of the year. In fact, this film is one of the most original offerings of its kind in recent years. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom) and Zooey Deschanel (Summer) in the two leading roles, Webb’s film pushes itself away from standard, derivative fare and brings it to a new level. Here, the film becomes a gentle mockery of the rom-com genre, as if suggesting that its rigid, one-answer-fits-all formula is a sad case of money-suckers in Hollywood misunderstanding increasingly picky (and more informed) consumers.

(500) Days Of Summer employs a non-linear narrative which is segmented into many flashbacks and forwards. The ‘(500)’ in the film’s title represents the five hundred days in which the romantic relationship between Tom and Summer lasted. Before the start of each segment operating on a different timeline, Webb uses this ‘bracketed number’ as a transitional tool to indicate the different stages of their relationship. With this, he manages to set off a whirlwind narrative style without leaving viewers dazed and confused. And it is this style that makes the film such a refreshing watch.

The humor is kept on an even keel; it is never over-the-top for the sake of inducing (forced) laughter. This is quite effective in developing the characters into people we actually do care about, making us active participants as we draw ourselves closer to their private lives. Tom is a guy who believes in finding ‘the one’ and in Summer he sees that. Summer, on the other hand, takes life as it goes, refusing to commit or actively pursue love. The chemistry between the two leads is excellent and they give good, natural performances throughout. There is a spark about them which makes the film more engaging than your average rom-com.

Creativity is also employed in several ways, most notably in a special double split-screen sequence which on one side shows reality as it is and the other, expectations on how things will turn out. Once again, Webb shows his ability in giving something extra to his viewers. (500) Days Of Summer has been critically well-received and is a hit with audiences. I am grateful for that. Sometimes it takes a film like this to help us differentiate the good stuff from the mediocre. As a genre film, (500) Days Of Summer goes beyond genre and…succeeds. Money-suckers, take note. The rest, enjoy.

SCORE: 8/10
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Recommendations: Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010), To Kill a Mockingbird (Robert Mulligan, 1962), The Visitor

Singapore's Most Prolific Film Blogger @ www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com

Last updated: 2009-10-16 10:10:28 by eternality_tan

(500) Days of Summer

I read somewhere that this was a romantic comedy for those that don’t care for romantic comedies. I can’t argue that opinion.
(500) Days of Summer has lots of good moments and a few bad ones, so it is no surprise that this was on almost everyone’s top 10 of ‘09 list.
The good…my personal feelings for my future wife, Zooey Deschanel aside, she is the main reason to watch this picture. Sure, she’s playing the same, quirky character who emphasizes her individuality like she always does, but hey, whatever works, right? I like how they go back and forth through her relationship with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and show the number of days and such. What really struck me was that if you look at the graphic, the happier moments have a happier, green color to them, whereas the final days are blue and depressing looking. Deschanel and Levitt make a cute couple and that helps more than you’d think. The film moves about at a pretty nice pace, which is a plus because there are so many romantic comedies that start off at light speed, then hit some kind of bump and never recover.
The bad…I didn’t care for the best friend. As much as I love Zooey, I would like to see her play a different character at least once. Minka Kelly’s appearance at the end is nice, don’t get me wrong, she is beyond hot, but the fact that she was named Autumn was just too much.
It isn’t often that a romantic comedy comes along that takes the point of vie of the guy. Usually these things are all about some overly emotional woman, her bitchy friends, and how they brainwash her into all but losing the guy, only to get him back in the last minutes of the film. (500) Days of Summer doesn’t flip the script, but does give you the early impression it is going to go down that road, only it takes a sharp turn just before it goes into formulaic territory. While doing that turn, it becomes a refreshing, original film (based on a book) that captivates us all.

http://thankyounetflix.wordpress.com