Movie Review: 500 Days of Summer

Movie Review: 500 Days of Summer

Yeah, it came out months ago. I know. But it's still a great movie.

Marc Webb's directorial debut, at least in film. Music video junkies know Marc already, mainly in rock, & if you knew him before you probably want to see this movie. You probably want to see this movie, too, if you like Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, good music, & cute indie romances.

The story doesn't really move in chronological order, which works really well. It tells you where you are in time, & therefore Tom & Summer's relationship. And this way, we see how things are not only from Tom's point of view, which is crucial, but also how things progressed - what was good, what was bad, what went right, & what went wrong. We see snippets of Tom & Summer together, which is also crucial. And right from the start, we know where each character stands. It becomes more obvious as the movie progresses, but Tom & Summer have vastly different perceptions of their relationship, to the point that Tom deludes himself into thinking things are perfect when, really, they're not. This brings up the idea of the unreliable narrator, which I'd heard another review mention, & it's true. Mainly, we get Tom's point of view, & Tom's too obsessed with Summer to realize the truth - Summer is a total bitch. This is joked about early on, but it's true. And she cites Ringo as their favorite Beatle, & "Octopus's Garden" as the best Beatles song. Not that I hate Ringo or that song, but that's a sign of trouble.

That's the kicker - Summer is not a likable character. My cousin sat next to me when we saw it & said out loud, more than once, "Summer is a bitch." Sure, she starts off well enough, but as you see more of her, you see how difficult she really is & wonder why Tom puts up with all of it. It's also interesting because Tom & Summer kind of have this gender role-reversal going on. Tom believes strongly in love, Summer doesn't want to be tied down. I love a film that explores something that's not exactly typical of a gender.

But really, aside from Summer, there's not much to dislike about this movie.

The whole movie is brilliantly, subtly funny. It's mainly in the little things, like Tom smashing plates & the whole Sid & Nancy exchange at the very beginning that was in the trailers. The karaoke scenes are all gems. And my favorite scene of the entire movie is Tom's big "You Make My Dreams Come True" sequence after a night with Summer.

Plus, the acting is great, even from the supporting players like Tom's little sister & his friends & co-workers. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is fantastic. Ladies & boys who like boys will fall in love with him. He's adorable, he's in love, he's likable, & you want him to be happy. He acts it wonderfully. Plus, we get to see him sing & dance! Zooey Deschanel was good, too, especially considering that often, she seems to be hit-and-miss. Don't get me wrong, I think she's adorable, & that's why I continuously forgive her lackluster acting - see The Happening & SciFi's mini-series Tin Man, because both show some of Zooey's worst moments.

The soundtrack is brilliant. Regina Spektor highlights, beautifully, the opening credits. Tom & Summer bond over The Smiths. "She's Like the Wind" makes a very brief appearance, & I already mentioned "You Make My Dreams Come True," which gets a band & dance sequence. Even the instrumental music is really pretty.

All in all, fun, cute, & witty. Definitely worth seeing.