(500) Days of Summer Review

Published by Jeff Leins on: July 8th, 2009

(500) Days of Summer is a story about crushing heartache, the descent into a bottomless pit of depression, and other fond memories of love.  It’s a personal, funny, relatable, and authentic narrative that’s hard not to like and easy to fall for.

A baritone narrator states right up front “this is not a love story,” but at first glance Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is smitten with his blue-eyed co-worker, Summer (Zooey Deschanel).  The story keeps you guessing and hoping as it cycles through the year-and-a-half relationship.  Tom’s nonlinear recollection touches on the adorably awkward first moments of attraction, the best times of a playful romance, the bitter stages of an emotional break-up, and the despair of getting over someone while scattering the plot humorously and reversing the gender roles refreshingly.

Gordon-Levitt is excellent as usual in another performance that deserves more recognition for the underrated young talent.  He projects each of Tom’s fluctuating moods: angsty, hopeful, devastated, heartfelt, and romantic.  Tom busies himself at his job writing pithy phrases for flowery greeting cards, sketching towards his lost architecture passion, daydreaming about kismet, and wondering when fate will deliver “the one.”

This one is Summer, an oddball cynic who doesn’t believe in true love, but Tom isn’t convinced and pursues her despite early warnings against reciprocation.  They bond over hip music, offbeat movies, and general silliness, which also serves as a self-reflexive wink from screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter.

The script takes characters and their captive audience through the highs and lows of a true-to-life on-off coupling.  Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel have a sort of magical chemistry that makes watching them such a treat even when they’re just spending one of the many days together.  The pair is surrounded by plenty of comic relief, including the wacky friends Geoffrey Arend (Super Troopers) and Matthew Gray Gubler, plus Ian Reed Kesler who is literally credited as “Douche.”  At times Tom takes advice from his much younger (yet somehow wiser) sister Rachel (Chloe Moretz).

First time feature director Marc Webb infuses a sense of indie credibility into the charming story reminiscent of film favorite Garden State.  The quirky comedy often drifts into music from its stellar soundtrack or a stylish set piece.  Remembering a relationship milestone in another of his sweater vests, Tom skips his way into a Disney-like musical number or recalls a split screen re-telling of when expectations met reality.

Love isn’t as simple as the saccharine, insincere words on the inside of a Valentine’s card, nor is it a fabrication elevated by movies and music.  Whether you believe soul mates exist or true love is a myth, (500) Days of Summer has something for both beliefs and everything (or everyone) in between.

4.5 out of 5.