(500) Days of Summer

One of the tag lines for the film (500) Days of Summer is "This is not a love story. This is a story about love." That couldn't describe this film any better.

Do you remember being young and in love? Remember that first moment when you saw the one? Remember all of those awkward moments of trying to get up the nerve to talk to her/him? Remember the elation of that first kiss? The many happy, fun, and joyful moments that would follow? Remember that moment when you knew things weren't right, that the relationship was on the down swing? Remember that agonizing feeling of loss when the relationship was over? That feeling of wanting to die because there would never be another like her? The days and weeks spent in bed wallowing in your misery, listening to depressing music, writing bad poetry, just wanting the pain to end and go away?

I sure as hell do.

(500) Days of Summer captures these feelings that come with being in love perfectly with a great balance of humor, sweetness, and of course sadness. This movie isn't about a couple being in love, but more about the process of falling in and out of love.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom, a hopeless romantic who feels his life won't truly begin until he finds his one true love. Zooey Deschanel plays Summer, the object of his desire and sorrow, a woman that doesn't believe in love but rather just living in the moment, free of any pressure or commitment. Both Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel give great heartfelt performances. Together Tom and Summer go through an entertaining and realistic journey of love. One that many of us have experienced several times. But who's viewpoints are correct? Does true love exist? This is the ultimate question that the film seeks to answer.

From the opening title cards you know right off the bat the tone this film is going to take. Despite some of the sad moments of the plot, this is a really funny movie. First time director Marc Webb constructs a fun and originally stylized film that serves the humor of the script. The plot jumps around to various days during the relationship, always letting us know which day of the odyssey we are viewing. There are moments of reminding us that this is a movie with scenes of breaking the fourth wall, or breaking into a random musical moment to help demonstrate the joyful feeling of being in love. There is a great and heart wrenching moment where a split screen is used showing a scene with the left side showing Tom's expectations for a meeting and the reality being shown on the right side, with the right side of the screen eventually sliding over and overtaking the expectation side and showing the reality of the situation. The movie is never stylized to show off, but rather to serve the story and enhance the feelings of the characters.

When I first saw the trailer for the film what caught my attention immediately was the Smiths reference. There are plenty of cool film and music references, from the Smiths and Belle & Sebastian to films like the Graduate and Bergman movies. Anyone who has listened to the Smiths will know the mood and behavior that the music sets. There are plenty of musical cues that set the tone of the scene wonderfully. Music plays a key role in the characters lives and is never overused. All of the various homages fit perfectly with the tone and themes of the story.

(500) Days of Summer is a fun and original film. I may have given a bit much away about the plot, but the movie is mostly about the process, not the results. There are some satisfying and surprising twists that never feel forced or predictable. It's a thoroughly moving and entertaining film that will most definitely get repeat viewings from me.