Review: (500) Days of Summer
(500) Days of Summer
Directed by Marc Webb
Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael Weber
Release date (limited): July 17th, 2009
FS Verdict: Skip the nerdy wizard in glasses, support this great film! Highly recommended.
As you may have noticed here at Film Savior, there are a few movies that we have a ton of hope for. We read the script, follow their every casting choice, virtually go in the trenches when filming, and analyze the marketing campaign. (500) Days of Summer is the first release of our 7 “obsessions” in 2009. Luckily, it lived up to the hype and did not disappoint. One for one!
I feel bad whenever a film like this comes around. It’s trying to tell a story in a unique and original way. But everyone feels the need to find a label to stamp on it. Quirky. Indie. Romantic Comedy. (500) Days of Summer is none of these things. And all of these things. Which is one of many reasons that I highly recommend it. It has the sarcasm and wit of Woody Allen’s Manhattan and Annie Hall while invoking the warmth and fun of a Cameron Crowe film.
“I think the key is for me to figure out what went wrong. Do you ever do this? Go back and think about all the things you did together. Everything that happened. Replay it over again in your mind, looking for the first sign of trouble.” — Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
The film unflinchingly puts the romantic comedy on its head by keeping the entire point of view from the male perspective in a non-linear fashion. We meet Tom, who even in the cynical modern world, believes in falling in love like the classic movies or pop songs. He believes in love like The Graduate, where no obstacles will stop you from your “true love.” He believes in love at first sight, where locked eyes across the room will shotgun you into love, marriage and happiness. The fuse is lit on Day 1 – when Tom, a would-be architect turned sappy greeting card writer meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel), his boss’s beautiful new secretary. At first she seems out of his league. But he quickly realizes they both share the love of sad British Pop, New Jersey, and other trivial things. Unfortunately for the character Tom, (500) Days of Summer is not a romantic comedy. It’s a romantic tragedy…comedy. I hate calling it a romantic comedy since there are so many terrible ones out there. From the beginning you learn that things do not work between Tom and Summer in this non-traditional story arc. But how? We jump back and forth between a year-and-half of Tom’s one sided love affair with the irresistible Summer. We dig deep into the mind of Tom and his romance timeline, and everything in between, in search of that exact moment when things really fall apart.
There are classic instances in the film where you see split screen of his perception vs. reality during his time with Summer. All he remembers are the good times…or were they? There’s a hilarious dance sequence with everything from the UCLA Marching Band to an animated bird. And there are those real moments that show the reality of romance. Not the ones you see in the movies. Remember the time when your girlfriend/boyfriend had the “I just want to be friends” conversation. We’ve all been there on either side. That gut wrenching realization– that moment that the rug has been pulled from under you is what this film is about. With comedy. (500) Days of Summer is the first romantic comedy (ugh!) that everyone can relate to. Even the most macho, stone cold men out there.
All of my previous disrespect towards Joseph Gordon-Levitt was unfortunate. Maybe it was the disdain for his upcoming role in GI Joe. Nevertheless, he was perfect for the role. That kid is going places. And Zooey Deschanel who you’ve probably seen a ton of times but not sure where, encompasses the essence and being of Summer in a remarkable way. We see her internal struggle and contradition through the wall she has built around her self.
I don’t care who you are. You will love this film. A great cast, an awesome soundtrack, I just wish there was an easy label to stamp on it. Quirky. Indie. Romantic comedy. Whatever. Go see it for yourself!
