(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Shot out of order chronicling the time that Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is in love with a girl named Summer (Zooey Deschanel), (500) Days of Summer is a romantic comedy about love, but not between the two main characters. It’s much more general than that, analyzing through its characters what it means to be in love and everything, including heartache, that goes along with it. The plot follows Tom, who went to school to be an architect, working at a company that makes cards for any occasion, and when the bosses new assistant Summer walks in, he pretty much falls head over heels. The rest of the film jumps all over the place between the time when they are a budding romance to when they are breaking up to when he is alone and trying to get past her.

As the audience, we get all the pieces of the story and gradually put them together as it unfolds. Also throughout the film are interesting little sequences that make it comparable to other offbeat romances like Amélie or Annie Hall. There is an omniscient narrator, animated sequences, and even a dance scene among some of the unique directorial choices. There is one scene in particular that feels very Woody Allen-esque, and that is the scene where Tom is invited to a party that Summer is having (late into the 500 days) and the film goes into a split screen displaying on one side his expectations of how the party will be and on the other, the reality of the situation; needless to say, the two are far from similar. Director Marc Webb, a relative newcomer, shows a lot of promise and skill not only through his quirky scenes (there is one instance where Tom at the height of his happiness imagines himself as the lead in a musical number in the park), but through his ability to weave a coherent story that never feels overbearing or disingenuous. Part of this is due to the two lead performances. Both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are not only good in their respective roles, but believable; they seem like real people and the banter between the two of them doesn’t come across as forced or staged. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is perfect as the love sick protagonist who despite everything can’t seem to help but be in love with Summer. We mostly are shown all the happy moments which dominate his mind instead of seeing everything, which makes the reality of their relationship less glamorous and his state more sympathetic. Despite the film being from his point of view, Zooey Deschanel never feels like the bad guy; she is a complex character that is both captivating and interesting to learn more about. By keeping the story out of order, it is hard to take sides because it is difficult to predict how it will end. There are also a variety of interesting side characters that make for some humorous scenes such as Tom’s two friends and his little sister, who is always willing to give him sage wisdom. (500) Days of Summer is a refreshingly different romantic comedy featuring some great performances and a unique direction that is sure to please anyone who sees it.