Review #6

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

Released: 2009

Director: Marc Webb

Starring: Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Grade: A

(500) Days of Summer is a coming-of-age-story, disguised as an anti-romantic comedy, disguised as a romantic comedy. If that sounds convoluted, it’s because the film is as well. And I mean that as a compliment. The film embraces a nonlinear structure, bouncing around the 500 days it takes our protagonist Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to meet, fall in love with, and eventually get over Summer (Zooey Deschanel.) There’s a lot to like here, particularly in the intelligence of the storytelling.

I’ve always been interested in the style-vs-substance debate and this film makes for an interesting debate topic. It’s certainly got plenty of style; beyond the nonlinear storytelling, it also plays around with narration, dream sequences, musical numbers and direct address. The thing is though, this style enhances the substance rather than overwhelming it. Although the film claims to be about love, it is actually more about memory and these stylistic flourishes capture the nature of memory. Memory comes in flashes, a jumbled collection of highs and lows. Memory is subjective, we tend to forget the mundane and remember the extraordinary. Particular images stick out and scenes become landmarks for a relationship. The vignette-structure lends itself beautifully to capturing this sensation of memory.

There are a few scenes in (500) Days of Summer that stand out in my mind as truly iconic. One is the playing-house in IKEA scene, mostly because my best friend in high school and I used to do the same thing. The second is the scene where Summer can’t stop crying after seeing The Graduate. I mentioned in my review of When Harry Met Sally that I love when people in movies talk about movies. Tom sees The Graduate as a beautiful romance; Summer sees it as a story of two people who may have made a huge mistake. This difference in interpretation succinctly sums up the differences between Tom and Summer. Sometimes it’s the little things, like seeing the world through a slightly different perspective, that can drive a relationship apart.

The scene that most stands out to me (and that I have often thought about in the three years since I initially saw the film) is the Expectations vs. Reality sequence. It might be one of the most subtly devastating scenes I’ve ever seen on film, mostly because it’s grounded in a reality that most people can probably relate to. It’s a scene that could only happen in a film that plays as fast-and-loose with structure as (500) Days does. It’s so powerful that even if the rest of the movie were terrible, I think I would still have to give it a good review.

The movie starts to drag a bit in the middle when we get a lot of two person scenes featuring Summer and Tom in their happy relationship. It’s a small complaint though (the film is only 95 minutes) and there’s more to praise than to critique here. The film is gorgeously shot and the lighting is truly stunning. Listening to the director’s commentary, it’s obvious that the filmmakers truly cared about the film they were making (so much so that they argue for ten minutes about one line reading.) This is not a slapped-together romantic comedy designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. It’s a very personal story (one of the writers claims 75% of the film was based on his real life) crafted with intelligence and attention to detail. 

The intelligence of the filmmakers extends to the thoughtful performances of the two leads. Although the film is called (500) Days of Summer, it’s actually Tom’s story and we’ve got to be instantly on his side. Thankfully, there’s no one it’s easier to like than Joseph Gordon-Levitt (essentially playing a grown-up version of his character Cameron from 10 Things I Hate About You.) He’s both charming and vulnerable, and you can tell he’s a smart actor who knows how to ground a clichéd line with just enough sincerity to make it feel real. 

Zooey Deschanel is often mocked for her trademark quirkiness, but she’s playing a very different character here than in her new vehicle New Girl. New Girl’s Jess is a heart-on-her-sleeve-optimist who doesn’t quite understand personal boundaries. Summer is an independent, self-centered girl with walls built around her heart. Although the characters share a haircut and sense of retro-style, Deschanel is more transformative than I think many people give her credit for.

I first saw this film when it was released in theatres in 2009 and I think it really benefits from a second viewing. The first time I saw the film I was very off-put by the way Summer treats Tom and I came down firmly on his side. On the second viewing, however, I realized that Summer is remarkably honest throughout the film. She tells Tom she doesn’t want a relationship and there are signs throughout that the two aren’t as compatible as Tom wants them to be. I still don’t think the film saves Summer from being a villain and to me it all comes down to one line. In their final meeting, Tom asks Summer why she danced with him at a wedding when she was in a serious relationship. Summer replies, with not a hint of guilt or apology, “Because I wanted to.” There’s something about this line, and Deschanel’s delivery of it (which the filmmakers on the commentary loved) that keeps me from fully liking Summer. This might be a personal thing; I have a very hard time liking people who put themselves first. It’s Tom’s story so it’s not necessarily bad to dislike Summer by the end, but I really think if that line had been cut, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time sympathizing with her character.

(500) Days of Summer is bittersweet, and beautiful to look at. The narrator tells us upfront that “This is not a love story.” but I don’t think that’s entirely true. It’s not a love story with a happy ending, but that doesn’t mean the love was any less real. We humans are flawed beings who learn by making mistakes. Tom may not end up with Summer, but the time he spent with her changes him, propels him forward in a way that may never have happened if he hadn’t met her.

Reality factor: The nonrealistic storytelling allows for some lovely grounded acting. Even if the musical number isn’t realistic, it captures a feeling that certainly is.  
[3 out of 5]

Eye-candy factor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt manages to be both boyishly charming and super hot at the same time [4 out of 5]

Aww factor: “Robin is better than the girl of my dreams. She's real.” [5 out of 5]