“You should know upfront, this is not a love story”, an unknown narrator bluntly says early on in 500 Days of Summer. From the beginning, first-time director Marc Webb’s film feels immediately different from typical romantic films in that it takes chances in telling a love story in a non-clichéd way.
500 Days of Summer’s story is very simple, yet the way that it is packaged is what makes it so fascinating. Tom, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt of 10 Things I Hate About You and Brick, is a born romantic who aspires to be a architect while working day-to-day at a greeting card company. He knows that once he finds “the one”, his life will finally start to click. He is instantly drawn to Summer, Zooey Deschanel of Elf and Almost Famous, the new secretary at work who does not believe in true love. When the two bond in an elevator over similar musical tastes, their tumultuous 500 day relationship begins that evolves them both.
The film brilliantly shows the days of Summer and Tom’s relationship in a non-linear pattern, quickly jumping from the two deep in the beginnings of young love, to Tom depressed from the break-up in bed, eating nothing but Twinkies and whisky. Webb deviates from what an audience expects to see and tries instead to make the audience and active participant in what Tom is feeling. When Tom and Summer first make love, there is a great choreographed dance to show the flood of emotions. When the two break up, Tom’s world turns into a black and white animation, showing the beauty in his life is gone. And in a genius turn, we see Tom invited to a party thrown by Summer, and through split screen, we see what Tom expected to happen at the party and what actually happens. Webb shows an inventiveness that invigorates this simple love story.
What makes these emotions so compelling is fantastic performances by Levitt and Deschanel, who are at the forefront of a great new renaissance of young actors bringing down the mores of what to expect from young Hollywood. Both Tom and Summer feel like real people with real problems in a believable relationship. Tom is vulnerable and wanting to better himself, while Summer wants to be head-over-heels in love with Tom, has an underlying pain that cannot allow herself to put down her defenses.
Through the eyes of Tom, the film shows his love of Summer in an almost idolized fashion, making her the perfect person, which may not have been the case. Tom is unreliable in his lovelorn depression that we are uncertain just how truthful his take on Summer really is. Tom’s perspective shows everything from undeniable love to bitter heartbreak and everything in between with brutal honesty.
500 Days of Summer has an indie-cool vibe to it, so that almost anyone who enjoyed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Garden State will take immediately to it. The amazing soundtrack helps account for this as well, beautifully placing songs from Regina Spektor, The Smiths and Feist together to enhance the soundtrack that Tom and Summer live their lives to.
The chances that 500 Days of Summer even takes is astounding. The amount of new techniques that are unique to movies on a whole is a refreshing take in the summer season. Webb has new ways to show every emotion, that questions why other director’s haven’t tried anything quite as advantageous. Webb makes the film almost feel whimsical, yet both Tom and Summer anchor the film into a beautiful reality and an interesting new way to look at the love story, that it’s not hard to love so much about Summer.
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