"(500) Days of Summer" Movie Review

We close out the summer movie season with the unconventional indie romance movie, (500) Days of Summer (PG-13). In the film Joseph Gordon-Levitt falls hard for the new girl in the office (Zooey Deschanel). Unfortunately her feelings are not fully reciprocated and they struggle to find common ground with their budding romantic relationship. Marc Webb directs.

Ryan: (500) Days of Summer is a really good movie. It’s not a typical romantic comedy (light-hearted and whimsical) and in fact it’s not really a typical indie romance either (dark and angst ridden). It strikes a suitable balance between those polar opposites and the result is a film that is genuinely entertaining and has a little bit of depth to it as well. (500) Days of Summer is definitely one of the highlights of not only the summer but the year as well.

Andy: One of the aspects of (500) Days of Summer that makes it such an interesting movie is the mixed up narrative structure. Rather than presenting a linear romance, the audience is shown the relationship in all of its different stages right from the beginning. This allows us to focus on how the characters are behaving rather than getting lost in arc of the relationship. It highlights the emotion of individual moments rather than the culmination of their feelings. The technique probably turns off some viewers, but I found it to be an inventive way to have a character study of a guy messing up a relationship.

Ryan: Major props should go out to the director, Marc Webb, for crafting such a delightful movie. The ideas of true love, love at first sight and finding one’s soul mate are as old as storytelling itself. The brilliance with the movie is how it takes these familiar (arguably clichéd notions) and presents them in a way that feels fresh, that feels contemporary and that feels relevant. Further enhancing the story is how Webb chooses to film the movie in a non-linear fashion thus adding a sense of emotional resonance that would have been lacking by telling the story in a traditional straightforward manner.

Andy: Another possible pitfall for viewers is the lack of development of Zooey Deschanel’s character. It is true that she comes across as a little shallow, but that is part of the point. The male version of the relationship is all we are seeing, and that is a self-important and selfish view of the relationship that keeps the audience from ever really getting to know the woman. That ultimately dooms the relationship, and is a major part of the whole point of the movie.

Ryan: (500) Days of Summer provides a breakthrough role for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Gordan-Levitt plays the part with a believable sense of vulnerability and charm that vividly shows up on screen. It would not be out-of-the-question to add him to the short list with Michael Cera and Jessie Eisenberg as up-and-coming leading men. Not to be out-done is the performance by Zooey Deschanel. The role is tailored made for her but one still has to hit the right notes with the performance. But rest assured, she delivers a credible performance.

Andy: There is no doubt that Gordon-Levitt carries this movie. His character acts despicably for large portions of the movie, yet he has a cool charm that makes him likeable even as we pity the mess he’s made of his relationship. As an actor, he pulls this off in a way that not many young leading men could or would. It is a treat to see him perform here. Deschanel also does a nice job, but so much of her character must be more cute than complex (or at least as we see her through Gordon-Levitt’s eyes) that it’s hard to give her credit beyond knowing the limitations of her character.

(500) Days of Summer is interesting as a romantic comedy that is neither consistently romantic nor comedic, yet it still interesting and entertaining. Final grade: A-.