Movie Review - (500) Days of Summer
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Shines in an Unconventional Romantic Comedy
Sep 7, 2009
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel Reunite
The last time Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel acted opposite each other was in Manic, in 2001. Viewers are again treated to this well-suited duo in (500) Days of Summer.
Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a 20-something man who really wants to be an architect, but is stuck in a dead end job as a writer for greeting cards. He has always believed that there is someone out there just for him, and they are destined to meet.
Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, is a mysterious and quirky character who is the new assistant to Tom's boss.
Tom plays the love lust role and obsesses over Summer for weeks. Eventually, they begin a relationship. Summer insists throughout their courtship that they are just "friends" and that she is not interested in anything serious.
Tom, on the other hand, is quickly falling in love with Summer.
The 500 Days
The film uses a counter of sorts, and before each scene, shows the viewers where in the 500 days of the relationship the characters are coming from. It is clever in the way it goes back and forth throughout Tom and Summer's relationship, and links different periods throughout the relationship. This gives viewers a surge of different emotions, all in a short time period.
Throughout these 500 days, the movie taps into the struggle between the reality of a situation and Tom's perception of what is happening. Tom, is very much in love with Summer, so he sees things and remembers things a bit differently than they actually happened.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt steals the show. His portrayal of the nonsensical and romantic Tom is funny, touching and at times gut wrenching. Everyone knows the feeling of a broken heart. It is a feeling of anger and utter despair; all of which Gordon-Levitt brilliantly portrays in a real, and at times funny, manner. While watching this movie, he will make viewers want to cry, laugh, and hug him, all at the same time.
Zooey Deschanel is the perfect person to play the role of Summer. She is mysterious and quirky and easy to love. As the movie trails on, the viewers see that she is also insanely practical and at isn't capable of feeling the illogical emotions it takes to be swept off one's feet.
(500) Days of Summer will leave viewers wanting to fall in love, or at least longing for those days when their love was new. The days where all that is felt is an "on top of the world, nothing can stop me" feeling. It is a funny and sweet movie that reminds us how hard it can be to find love, keep love, and lose love; but how amazing it can be when it all works out.
