Review: (500) Days Of Summer (2009)

Directed by Marc Webb
Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
Starring Joesph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

"Author's Note: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Especially you Jenny Beckman. Bitch."

It’s been a while since American audiences have been treated to a realistic look at the rise and descent of young love. In fact, as far as realistic films about young twenty-somethings falling in and out of love go, they’re a rare species. When one eventually comes along a chord is struck with the generation it documents, and if we’re lucky, brings insight to those of a age and/or lifestyle. With the release of (500) Days of Summer, we arrive at such an occasion.

The film begins with a warning that “this is not a love story.” Some have said that this is misleading or a lie, but the truth is, this is a “relationship story,” one that truthfully--and sometimes brutally--examines the ups and downs of trying to find or create a love story in the twenty-first century. We begin at the end: Summer (Deschanel) has broken up with Tom (Gordon-Levitt) and his friends come to his aid, hoping to get him out of a rut they’ve found him lying in before. And so begins the relationship story.

Tom meets Summer at his job; he’s a greeting card writer, she’s the new assistant to Tom’s boss. One day in the elevator Summer hears The Smiths coming out of Tom’s headphones. She compliments him on his taste in music and he’s stricken. During a night of drunken karaoke with co-workers, the two sit in a booth and debate the existence of love--he says it’s real, she believes it’s all a fabrication--and unable to persuade each other, agree to disagree. The next time they meet, they kiss for the first time and are soon going on dates, though Summer insists it is “nothing serious.” It isn’t long before Tom feels differently and becomes consumed by what their relationship could and does mean.

The casting in (500) Days of Summer is one of those unique occasions where everyone fits their roles perfectly. Even the supporting roles feel created and lived in rather than simply acted in. Let’s start with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. For the longest time, I just knew him as “the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun,” a show I thoroughly disliked, but I’m happy to say he’s redeemed himself nicely. Along with Brick, he’s created a new respect as a young actor to be watched. In the character of Tom he finds the perfect balance in scenes where he’s on top of the world as well as in the depths of love Hell. We understand Tom, feel his pain, his happiness, and his love for Summer. Credit goes to Zooey Deschanel, of course, who creates a character worthy of the love. As Summer, she’s mysterious, bright, fun and frustrating. The small things that Tom loves about her, like the way she licks her lips before she speaks are integrated in Deschanel’s performance and we catch her subtly using these mannerisms. And as Tom’s friend McKenzie, Geoffrey Arend pulls off a bright little comedic performance that left me wanting more of his character.

As strong as this movie is, and as much as I loved it, it is not without its faults. The script isn’t quite up to the standards met by the direction and acting, and the choice of Tom’s love advisor is cliché and completely useless. These are minor quibbles, however, for a film that, in my opinion, could be come this generation’s Annie Hall. To be sure, the film even uses several of the techniques Allen used in his pivotal romantic film: animation, voice over, split-screen and direct-to-camera dialogue are all present. Of course, Annie Hall didn’t have a Hall and Oates dance number, but then again, who does?