Customer Reviews

(500) Days of Summer

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

The film's opening makes it clear: This is not a love story. It is a story about love. Told in a non chronological fashion, we see 500 days in the relationship of Tom (Joseph Gordon- Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). For those who have seen 10 Things I Hate About You, this is an evolution of that story told in a more realistic fashion. While Joseph Gordon-Levitt pretty much plays the same character, he adds gravitas to the ups and downs of relationships which all men go through at some point. Zooey Deschanel brings her playful carefree attitude to Summer, which the movie itself is quick to point out has a very strong effect over men. While most people expect this to be a love story, it's not. It's a carefully crafted story about relationships and the highs and lows we all experience and how we focus on the highs more than the lows. The quirky humor and the wittiness brought out in the film covers the very introspective dissection of a relationship. While the ending is somewhat expected, it serves as the movies last laugh. A must see for romantics, indie film appreciators and mainstream audiences alike, this movie is the guide to growing up all boys need to become men. Especially, once they see the Plate scene. Check it out!

First off I must confess, I do not like Rom/coms, or Rom/Drams, I would much rather watch anything and I mean anything than these genres, I feel they are stupid, unbelievable, mostly appeal to the female audience who like the unrealistic happy endings and when the guy says sweet nothings in the girl's ear, gag me with a fork....

BUT this movie is not your conventional Romantic Comedy, it's your unconventional, romantic comedy that actually keeps it real and tangible, sorry for all you "The Note Book" movie lovers out there who expect sweet, happy tearful endings.

Plot is simple, boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl dumps boy; Tom (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is a Greeting card writer whose hidden talent is architecture, meets secretary Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and we go through his trials and tribulations to win her heart. He's the hopeless romantic, she is the free spirit, wanting to keep things casual, doesn't want to fall into the norms of a relationship. Where Tom questions this relationship, where she wants to keep it simple and not muddle things. So 500 Days of Summer chronicles the bittersweet beginnings, the sudden break up and all the crazy/ befuddled/ frustrating things that go on in between.

Basically that is the plot, what works is how it is presented, we do not get a linear plot like all those other contrite unreal romantic comedies, what we get is a non linear plot that goes back and forth between Tom and Summer's relationship from the Highs to the Lows. This is refreshing. Where one scene after Tom spent the night with her we see him walk out of the building all smiles the next day (this is his High), as if he can take on the world, he is unstoppable, as if he is glowing, and through out the whole scene we see him do a dance number, shaking hands with people, strangers high fiving him, patting him on the back, he looks in a window and an image of Han Solo looks right back at him... showing him he is the epitome of cool, (what makes it so real is who hasn't felt like that, after spending a night with the one they love, feeling great the next day)

Then we see his Lows, his self loathing, his obsessing on why did they break up, that he thought for sure she was the one, it's gut wrenching real, because again we've been there and done that or had it done to us.

They try to maintain a friendship, Summer invites him to a party and Tom accepts and what we get from this scene is so unique: Where Tom hopes the Universe will finally align itself and his expectations coincide with his reality. A split screen of Tom walking up the stairs to her Apartment, the caption on the Left reads, Expectations, caption on the right reads, Reality, again we as viewers can relate to this scene as it unfolds, Tom's expectations are he and Summer some how reconnect, he gives her a small gift in the form of a book, there's the catching of each others eyes; holding the gaze, the hug, the gentle touching, the laughing, shared moments by themselves, but then he and us viewers are thrust into the reality of the situation. There is no rekindling, she thanks him for the book, through out the party he feels like a stranger in a strange land and he leaves the party in disbelief, in agony, heart broken.... much like what would happen in real life, as we always run through our heads what we think will happen and think will be the perfect evening; finally going to tell her how you feel, you have that nice dinner planned, flowers, she'll be flattered and happy, and say she has the same feelings about you. Thinking it is bullet proof and then to have it all crashing down: either she says she doesn't feel the same way bout you, or she can't make that dinner date, or met someone else, etc etc etc, we so want those events to work and have it play over and over in our minds so the outcome is always positive that when the time comes does it rarely play to our expectations and we are thrust into cold reality. I just had to marvel at this particular scene because one it has happened to me numerous times and I am sure others could say the same thing, A brilliant scene indeed.

What makes this work is the chemistry between Levitt and Deschanel, Levitt playing the forlorn, hopeless, romantic, nice guy, while Deschanel plays Summer as the care free, beautiful, sexy, men take a second glance at her kind of girl, this relationship works so harmoniously even through the tough parts of the break up, we as viewers can't help but think that somehow they do stay together, that even I thought the typical Hollywood ending would come in and they get back together... but then it be classified as your conventional love story and that is not what the filmmakers and actors didn't want it to be, it's about that love is a cold hard bitch slap that we all have felt, which as I said earlier that we all can relate too.

Kudos to the great writing, and chemistry between the actors, making something so real, and honest it's hard to do in Hollywood when everyone wants to see a Sandra Bullock Rom/Com. We all see a little Tom in us and we've all had that one Summer; I guess the message of the movie is people come into your lives for a reason, whether it be friends or the "He's/ She's the one!" moment and it turns out it's not, and that relationships come and go, new ones will be forged, and just hold onto the memories of the old ones no matter how good or bad they were, somehow they made you who you are now, I feel that how it was for Tom's case.

A great movie I must say, worth checking out, what made it so real is because I think we've all been there and felt what Tom felt.

I hate romantic comedies. If they actually have some comedy in there, they are watchable but the relationships are often based some some kind of ridiculous premise that doesn't resonate at all with me. To call this a romantic comedy seems quite misleading. This movie was funny at times. Well directed, at times...A little gimmicky at others. Very well acted by the two leads. The thing that I loved about this movie is that it is completely true to life. It wasn't like "The Break-up" where you have to suffer through the couple arguing through the entire movie. They show (in a very clever way) the highs and the lows of Tom and Summer's relationship. I find myself still thinking about the two leads as if I was in their shoes (We probably all have been on one side or the other in our lives). What do I think of them? What do I wish she would have done differently? What could he have done differently? I don't know. One of those movies that I can't stop thinking about.

This movie nails three things. That's all you need to know
(1) that first rush of love and passion. The movie's fantasy dance sequence after Tom (Gordon-Levitt) falls for Summer (Deschanel) and that idiotic happiness is just the way it feels .. . I've never seen it done better.
(2) the anger and frustration when it's clear that there is an emotional disconnect between the characters; Tom again - perfect.
(3) The pain of withdrawal and slow recovery - make no mistake, this is love addiction where a character goes cold turkey. It's tough to watch.

I don't know if women relate to this movie in the same way, but this is a movie that is A Good Guy's perspective on finding and losing love without ever really knowing the woman whom he loves and why it doesn't work. As such, Zooey's Summer is an appropriately opaque character. Her feelings, motives intentions, etc., are all below the surface; there are just those amazingly melting eyes. You could argue that her character could be more fully developed, but realistically, I think her character allows Tom to see all that Guys are able to see. Summer and Tom make a good argument for women and men being different species that happen to be genetically capable of reproducing. They are not Mars and Venus; they are more like Mercury and Pluto. Even at their final accidental meeting, Tom is no closer to understanding Summer than he was when he first met her, and it's still not clear how she feels about anything. Zooey's character has a secret heart that is just unknowable to Tom, to the viewer; maybe to Summer as well.

The disjointed, non-linear structure of the movie make the pain easier to tolerate; just a little at a time. It feels like the way you remember a relationship. So five stars for a wonderful and unusual movie. For guys, I think, it's also a True story. That's worth everything.

Zoey Deschanel is perfectly cast in this movie as the sort of woman who walks all over a man without him actually realizing what has happened to him, because she does it with a smile on her face and lots of charm. Throughout the movie, it is kind of unclear actually as to what it is about Summer as a person that Tom, such a sensitive, funny, and smart guy, finds enticing and falls for. Besides looking cute, Summer is not particularly fun or funny, charming, kind or generous. She is aloof, cold, distanced, has no sense of humor and is kind of insincere actually. She has Tom wrapped around her little finger, leads him on and treats him like crap. Maybe her constant withholding and elusive charm is what he is attracted to? He sure wouldnt be the first because he keeps pursuing her and goes back for more. In its essence, this movie is a story about a man loving a woman who doesnt love him back. Summer, of course, blames life and the nature of relationships for her behavior, but we all know that these are just the standard, run of the mill excuses one hears from people who dont love you.

They say that the power of a relationship lies with whoever cares less. No movie exemplifies this more than this one. Summer is the one who cares less and so she clearly holds the power in this relationship, which she unkindly uses.

500 days of summer is a charming, intelligent love story that arrives at common wisdom regarding love and relationships in an unconventional way. It is beautifully photographed, with believable characters, engaging dialogs and great soundtrack.

FILM RATING: 4 stars

REVISITED REVIEW (March 13, 2011):

I don't think I'll ever tire of watching (500) Days of Summer (2009). It's a movie that's a part of the "soundtrack" of my life now...to use a music analogy. It takes me to a place emotionally that few films do...and it's a secret place that only a few know about (get the movie reference here?). This film just happened upon me at a time in my life when I was going through so many of the same experiences and feelings as "Tom"...falling in love with someone who isn't in love with you...re-evaluating your career and life purpose...making that same kind of idealistic speech at work...and just getting comfortable in your own skin. And of course we've all experienced some of what Tom does in high school and college when we began to date. Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber captured something special here. And if you didn't get it...then you're just not there yet to receive it. This is a story that probably speaks to thousands if not millions of young men...and young women...and just people of any age really. That's what makes (500) Days of Summer so special. It's a modern take on a "true story" of love and heartbreak like most of us have experienced. It's about learning how to deal with both the joys and tragedies that come with love & life, and opening your heart up to it. (500) Days of Summer makes fun of love and relationships like every rom-com, throwing in great jokes, but it also takes it very seriously and shows the real dramatic and tearful side as well.

Director Marc Webb and his team of incredibly talented fellow filmmakers crafted an awesome film. This was one of the best movies of 2009 and one of the few I saw in the theater that year...Thank God! I've also seen it on Blu-ray and in HD on HBO most recently. My previous review of this flick covered some of my initial thoughts and feelings about the film. But now, over a year later, I can see how much this film has really stuck with me both as a cinephile and a young aspiring filmmaker. I put this film in my Top 100 Movies of all time back after I initially saw it in late 2009. And it remains there to this day. Webb was able to weave together so many different disconnected ideas and bits of irony from dating that just come together so well here. Having gone to high school with Marc Webb, I had no idea that he would someday be the man behind the vision of such a truly great film. I just remember his goofy smile and laugh in Algebra class at Madison West High School. Everyone seemed to like him...and vice versa. But for his feature film debut, Marc came out of the gate with his guns-a-blazing and I can't wait to see his take on The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) next year.

Part of what the screenwriters do so well here is flip the tables on the typical relationship, putting Summer (played perfectly by Zooey Deschanel) in more of the "guy role" and Tom (played equally perfectly by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in more of the "chic role". Tom is the one who falls in love right away and Summer is the one who wants to keep things casual and not get into a relationship. It's a "secret" within the guy realm that we want what women want just as much or more than them sometimes. It's just that we make fun of each other if we admit it...so we usually don't...just like Tom's best friends. Also "cute" is how Tom's much younger little sister Rachel (played by Chloe Moretz) is much more mature and knowledgeable in the ways of love than he is. Usually its the older sibling that councils the younger one...but not here!

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both capture their roles in (500) Days like I've never seen them before. Both were at the top of their acting game in this flick. They bring intelligence, wit, emotion, and fun to Tom and Summer. The casting of both of them was as PERFECT as it gets. I think probably the most unique and interesting part of (500) Days of Summer is how it jumbles the story into seemingly "random" days within the 500 days that these two characters shared together. This jumble of mini stories is edited together so well by lead Editor Alan Edward Ball that it just feels genius! By telling this story in a fresh, non-linear way, (500) Days sticks out from the packed crowd of similar rom-com flicks. I know from listening to Creative Screenwriting Magazine podcast with writer Scott Neustadter that this storytelling technique was part of the script early on. But in the hands of a lesser Editor, it might not have worked as well. The use of motion graphics that flip through the calendar days, the deep God-like voice-over narration, and the music selections, all bring the script and its real dialogue to life. Again, this was clearly an incredible aligning of many different team members on the film crew to a unique and singular vision that director Marc Webb brought to the team.

The cinematography by Director of Photography Eric Steelberg is Fantastic! Paired with phenomenal production design by Laura Fox and Art Direction by Charles Varga, (500) Days of Summer is a visual feast. Every little detail just shines through, and when paired with the sound and music for the film, the perfect technical trifecta is hit! If you haven't yet fallen in love or had your heart broken and healed by (500) Days of Summer, then it's about time you took the chance and asked the picture out. What do you have to lose? There's a lot of fish in the sea, but this is the one for me.

ORIGINAL REVIEW (January 16, 2010):

One of my favorite movies from 2009 was this little indie romcom (romantic comedy). It's not my usual kind of movie since most romcoms have little story, little character development, and little emotion. But this movie has a heart and soul and mind that most romcoms (or chic flicks) simply don't. It even sneaked into my Top100 movies of all time. What's so interesting about this movie is that it's really a modern male-centric flick. It's all about being a young guy falling in love with a free spirited girl who breaks your heart. With the sexual revolution of the 60s up to today, the roles of men and women have swapped and many of today's men are really more of the "woman" in relationships. They are the sweet, emotional, monogamous ones in the relationships with women who want to play the field and not be tied down. I'm by no means saying that every guy or girl fits into this mold, but I think its more common today for my generation (Gen X) and younger in our mixed bag culture of experimentation and growing up with strong mothers. We're all learning how to become who we are instead of being told who we are as it used to be. And as part of that search, what guy or girl can't relate to the experience of falling in love with someone and them not falling in love with you. Heart break is part of maturity and coming of age these days and this movie handles it in a funny but sophisticated way that speaks to me as a guy.

I've experienced EXACTLY what Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character Tom does in this movie...both in terms of career and relationships. And I guess that's a huge part of what connected me to the story. But of course being an architect, it's always cool when a movie involves an "architect" as Tom aspires to be. He starts as a naive and idealistic greeting card writer who meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and falls for her. As a filmmaker and storyteller, what really was "cutting edge" to me about this movie was the way the story was told. It's a jumble of various "days" or moments in the relationship of Tom and Summer, jumping around from the beginning to the end and everything in the middle. It's a clever way of showing the ups and downs of the rollercoaster that is every relationship. And an intriguing way to tell a movie. Even though the story jumps around, it still builds to a crescendo like most classic three-act stories.

It's hard to compare this movie to The Hurt Locker or Avatar, which were the front runners in the Oscar race, but in my book, this should have been a contender for Best Picture 2009. Check it out on DVD or Bluray if you haven't seen it yet. And be ready to laugh and cry and experience everything in between.

One of those rare films where style and originality don't take away from heartfelt poignancy; `(500) Days of Summer' is a beautifully composed and constructed love story. Yes, I know that it makes you painfully away in the first few seconds that it is NOT a love story, but if you believe that then you're a sucker for a tall tale. This is not a conventional love story, sure, but when all is said and done, `(500) Days of Summer' is one of the most splendidly accurate depictions of love put to film.

The film jumps sporadically through the 500 day whirlwind romance between Tom and Summer. The film actually begins in the middle, after a nasty breakup, and then jumps back to when they met and so on and so forth. This filming style has been used by quite a few filmmakers and it's a style that either works extremely well or completely butchers a movie. This is one instance where the style is almost necessary. Sure, this tale could have been told in a straight forward canonical fashion, but the film really drags us in by teasing us with future events, keeping us completely engaged as we contemplate what led up to what we are witnessing.

It was a smart move that I applaud.

One thing that I really admired about the film is that fact that Summer Finn is basically presented as a blank canvas. One of my friends noted that the film fails to really give us any reason for Tom to become so obsessed with her. In the film his sister Rachel even comments that Tom only loves her because they like the same band. The thing to remember is that the story is being told from Tom's perspective. We are not getting two sides of the story here, and so what we see is what Tom sees, and not all of it is accurate. Even the film acknowledges that, as can be seen from what Rachel says to Tom. This is a story about how we can blind ourselves to the faults and missteps of the ones we love. Tom thinks everything is perfect, everything is wonderful and so we, the audience, see everything as wonderful. Summer's outbursts and significant `pulling away' seems almost out of place and unwarranted because all we can see are the blinders that Tom has put up. It's a very bold and brutally honest move, and I really admire the film for not taking the generic route of creating a faux love hate relationship.

Nothing about this film feels `done before'.

One aspect of the film that really embraced me was the beautiful way in which it was shot. The film feels so crisp, with beautiful lighting that gives the film an almost sun drenched appearance. It's a nice compliment to the fanciful idea of everlasting love, which Tom entertains throughout. In particular is the scene towards the end, where high expectations and bitter realities are delivered side by side on split screen. The sequence is probably my favorite in the film.

The performances are all very good, Joseph Gordon-Levitt once again delivering a stunning performance, one that is much different than anything he's ever done before. He proves that he can fuse the funny aspects of his acting style with the dramatic and make it believable. He is the perfect love-sick puppy here. Zooey Deschanel (who has always been one of my favorite actresses) is the perfect doll to dote over. She is beautiful and charming and witting and interesting, and even here, when playing a near figment of Tom's imagination, she is stunning and completely commanding.

`(500) Days of Summer' has it all. It has romance, drama, comedy and it even sports a sublime musical scene that just gives the entire film a facelift. It is a very, very smart film that never sacrifices honesty for art. This is certainly one of the best films of the year, and maybe even the decade.

I must admit that ordinarily a film about love and loss isn't my cup of tea. I actually would have never seen this film if it hadn't been for my best guy buddies encouraging me to see it.

But once I saw it, I couldn't stop at one viewing. I watched this movie back-to-back-to-back on a flight to Australia and loved it each and every time. Marc Webb is a very talented director who knows precisely what kind of performances and emotions he's trying to evoke from his actors. It also doesn't hurt that the chemistry between Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is genuinely believable and, dare I say it, real. Each actor really delves head-on into the psyche of their characters, with their respective characters coming across as surprisingly ordinary people.

The visuals and the music are perfectly fitting and it is very evident that both the cast and the crew were very intent on producing an interesting, entertaining and well-done film, not to mention it actually makes the city of Los Angeles appear, well, NORMAL!

The vividness of the picture and sound are made more so through the Blu-ray version of the film and it doesn't hurt that this version also includes a digital copy for me to put on my iPhone.

All in all - an extremely entertaining film with a believable story and very capable actors. Definitely a good choice for a date movie.

This could have easily slipped into a cutesy boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-back-girl snorefest that we've all seen dozens of times before.

However, they warn you from the outset that this is "NOT a love story" and they sure do deliver. This is a story about what is fate and what is coincidence or do the two co-exist?

Not only that, but the originality of some of the scenes here--be it the musical number of the awesome splitscreen "desired outcome" vs. "actual outcome" are unforgettable.

The Bottom Line:

(500) Days of Summer occasionally gets too cutesy for its own good (e.g. the precocious 10 year old girl who knows everything about love) but it's a very smart movie when it comes to love and relationships, with appealing performances by Deschanel and (especially) Gordon-Levitt in the leads and a solid vein of humor running through the whole film; if you like romantic comedies but hate formula, this is the movie for you.

3.5/4