Review: (500) Days of Summer (2009)

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

4.0

ROMANCE/COMEDY
U.S. Release Date: 07/01/09
Running Length: 95 Minutes
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Sexual Situations, Profanity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2:35:1
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel
Director: Marc Webb
Screenplay: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
Cinematography: Eric Steelberg
Music: Mychael Danna, Rob Simonsen
U.S. Distributor: Fox Searchlight

Review by: Carter Moulton

08/04/09

Thinking of going to the beach today? Don’t. Marc Webb’s feature length debut will prove to be a more refreshing choice. (500) Days of Summer is the most original romantic comedy I’ve seen in a long time. If you don’t like romantic comedies, you’ll be relieved by the film’s efforts to break away from conventional clichés; if you do like romantic comedies, you’ll enjoy the sincere dialogue and performances throughout. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are perfect in their roles, absolutely right in every way. Gordon-Levitt has a face that eerily resembles the late Heath Ledger, and he uses it to his advantage as he interacts with Zooey in some of the most intimate and humorous scenes of the year thus far.

About the title: Summer refers to a girl, not a season. Gordon-Levitt plays Tom Hansen, a young man with an interest in architecture who hasn’t realized his dream; he works for a greeting card company, writing and brainstorming. Zooey Deschanel is Summer, an eccentric personality who follows a self-produced set of life rules—there are certain boundaries in her world that can’t be crossed.

Summer begins working at the card company, and, by chance, runs into Tom on the elevator after work. They discuss important things like The Smiths and vinyl records to break the ice, and their friendship jumps outside of the workplace during an office party at a local bar. Tom, love stricken, is one to over-analyze the meaning of every word, while Summer puts on a mask of self-confidence that proves to be hollow. She tells Tom that she “isn’t looking for anything serious,” but, channeling the romantic in all of us, Tom pursues, pursues, pursues.

I love this film; I haven’t enjoyed a romantic comedy this much since I saw When Harry Met Sally some odd years ago. Gordon-Levitt is fun to root for, and it’s a relatable story that is rarely explored in the world of cinema. There aren’t many other characters to note, aside from Tom’s amusing friends. It’s really a character study of Tom and Summer, and Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber provide the two leads with real attributes, real flaws, and real complexities. Intelligent dialogue is a must for a film of this nature, and the screenwriters deliver. This scholarly text and lead talent, when combined with Webb's direction, create a comfortable, pleasing tone.

Webb finds creative ways to keep the viewer engaged. The story is told in a non-linear fashion, with a menu screen popping up whenever the film is moving forward or backward through time, telling us what day of “Summer” we’re experiencing. It’s easy to follow and it works. Also, in one scene, Webb splits the screen in half and displays Tom’s expectations of a party on the left and Tom’s reality of the party on the right. Another scene, one of the funniest in the film, features Tom walking around town, feeling the pure bliss of love. I won’t spoil it. It’s Webb’s ability to take convention, break it in half, and add original and stimulating ideas that makes (500) Days of Summer one of the best pictures of the year. Oh, and thanks for the ending.