dalydose
"500 Days - Worth most of the 95 minutes"
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A 2009 romantic comedy film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel
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I think that it is perfectly safe to say that (500) Days of Summer is probably the best romantic comedy of the last 10 years. However, most things in that genre are absolute garbage, so that's not really a fair title to give it. However, this is a truly splendid film, girded by strong performances and believable chemistry from its two main stars as well as a strong supporting cast. I also think that Summer Finn is a vicious cruel manipulative harpy, but I'll explain why later. The movie was also very funny, but did a great job of showing a failed relationship and truly made us root for the protagonist.
+4
500 Days of Summer is told in a rather unorthodox non-linear fashion, and centres around Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who was raised to believe in love and soulmates and whatnot. He meets Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) and is instantly enamored with her. However, since the divorce of her parents, Summer has not believed in love and is quite cynical towards Tom's attempts at wooing her. The film pretty much shows the rise and inevitable fall of their relationship, and how Summer toyed with Tom and how she almost turned him into her. It also shows Tom's relationship with his sister and his friends, and how he's stuck in a dead-end job as a greeting card writer where he should be an architect.
Okay, now it's time to explain why I think Summer Finn is a vicious cruel manipulative harpy and how she toyed with poor Tom's heart. First of all, she says she doesn't want to be anyone's girlfriend, but she keeps sending mixed signals and refuses to put a title on their relationship. She wants to keep it casual, she wants a relationship. She appears to love him, she breaks it off and gets engaged to another guy. I can understand not wanting to date, but there's no need to be a tease. Tell him you're not interested or start a relationship. Of course she could be Sheldon Cooper in female form, and my mom tried to explain it from Summer's point of view, but I was rooting for Tom the entire time and I just think Summer is a bitch. Nobody can change my mind on that.
The film has some very strong performances, from both leading and supporting actors. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was wonderful as Tom and made for a very likeable protagonist. I swear, the man brings wit and charm to everything he does and he's probably one of the best, if not the best young actor in Hollywood. Despite my hatred of her character, Zooey Deschanel also gave an undeniably strong performance as Summer. She and Gordon-Levitt also had very believable chemistry as a couple and had me fully invested in their relationship from the beginning to the end of the movie. The supporting performances were wonderful, mostly Geoffrey Arend (AKA the first guy to die in Devil) and Matthew Gray Gubler (AKA Dr. Reid from Criminal Minds) as Tom's co-worker and roommate, and Chloe Moretz as Levitt's sister. Needless to say, a great cast for a great movie.
The movie did have some problems, seeing as sometimes it dragged and Summer got far too bitchy at times. However, the movie was still very good and blended romance with humour with drama wonderfully. I also discovered the one movie character that I would love to marry (besides Sam from Lord of the Rings), Tom. This had a good blend, an imaginative story and story structure, plus strong performances and a truly lovable protagonist. It does have it's problems, but it's strong enough to warrant a recommendation, even if romantic movies aren't your thing. Again, the best romantic comedy of the last 10 years, but that doesn't seem to be a fair title. So, I'm just going to call it a great movie, which is a perfectly fitting title.
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More (500) Days of Summer reviews
"Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental...Especially you, Jenny Beckman...Bitch." From the introduction of this film, I knew the movie was not going to be your average romantic comedy. In fact, I would classify it as an "anti-romance." It's the worst situation anyone in love could be in. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Tom Hansen, is in love with Zooey Deschanel, who plays Summer Finn. The problem? … more
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review by dalydose.
August 24, 2009
Much like the complicated relationship on display in this film, I had things that I loved and things that I could do without. I liked the movie...I thought it was pretty good. It might be that it didn't live up to the hype that I had been subjected to hearing. Anyway, let's dive in "You should know up front, this is not a love story" The trailer tells it like it is. You will not see a typical "boy meets girl" … more
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Compliments (138)
No one really quite knows the exact reasons why there relationship ends or how it ended in the first place or why it came to end the way it did. All we know is that the relationship is over and there is nothing we can do about it they have moved on so should we however, that is sometimes easier said that done. Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) knows this all too well as h e has just broken up with his loveless, girlfriend Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). He is wreck after there … more
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Compliments (61)
Don't be fooled by the opening narration. (500) Days of Summer is very much a love story. Just not the kind we're used to seeing. Come to think of it, the title's also a little misleading. This is really the story of Tom Hanson, and the 500 days he spends being in love with Summer. But while we get to know Tom very well, thanks in large part to a charming and nuanced portrayal by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, by the end of the movie Summer remains something of an enigma, … more
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"This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story." Upon first hearing about (500) Days of Summer, your first instinct is probably that it is a love story. It has the basic setup from the get go. Boy meets girl and girl meets boy. The difference is that the boy falls for the girl... but the girl does not. In short, what we're really viewing is actually one man's misinterpretation of the relationship … more
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review by JoeXoth.
October 06, 2009
Perhaps the best way to describe (500) Days of Summer is to explain what it is not. Right at the outset, the unseen narrator warns, “This is not a love story.” But you may not be prepared for exactly how much it’s not a love story. This is not a standard-issue chick-flick tale of a klutzy cute girl who stumbles into a nice guy, or a drop-dead gorgeous career woman who figures out that her job is distracting her from her heart; and nowhere is there a grumpy … more
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review by KonaCat.
May 18, 2010
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a twenty-something greeting card writer, recalls the 500 days in which he loved a girl named Summer (Zooey Deschanel). Though she made it clear she was a free spirit and didn't want a boyfriend, the two coworkers became involved and then parted, reunited briefly to be parted again. This much talked-about romantic dramedy is fairly lightweight stuff, aimed at the teen and early-twenties set. To my older eyes, it seemed a bit of fluff, a forgettable … more
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Compliments (12)
Cute movie. BUT I felt like it was trying too hard. Trying to be smart and hip, which annoyed me more than it charmed me.
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Quick Tip by lyssachttr.
January 25, 2010
meh.. entertaining enough to hold my attention. not great, not bad. also not very emotionally evocative, which was a bummer.
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(500) DAYS OF SUMMER is a refreshing bit of fluff about the dance of contemporary courting - with a twist. Writers Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber demonstrate a keen understanding of the bumpy road of romance and have been able to make a film that balances humor and tenderness very well. Director Marc Webb encourages his two fine lead actors to give performances that could just be career boosts for both. Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a completely different role … more
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About the reviewer
Stephanie_Smith19
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Nov 29, 2010
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About this movie
(500) Days of Summer is a 2009 United States romantic comedy film. It is directed by Marc Webb, produced by Mark Waters, and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. This is Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel's second movie together (following Manic). Principal photography began in April 2008 in Los Angeles, California. The film opened in US limited release on July 17th, 2009, and will be released in Australia on September 17th, 2009.
Plot
Tom is in a meeting when his boss (played by Clarke Gregg) introduces the board room to Summer, the new assistant/secretary. Tom works in a greeting card company similar to Hallmark as a copy writer. He comes up with all the slogans for their cards. He is immediately taken by Summer’s beauty.
Tom talks to his friends about how much he likes Summer. While at first he plays things cool, he is convinced she is the one after an exchange in the elevator over their mutual love of the Smiths. He spends two weeks pining over her and executing awkward attempts to initiate conversation but can’t hit a chord. An opportunity arises when Tom’s best friend tells him that the entire office is going to a karaoke bar the following evening.
Tom arrives at the bar as his best friend is singing. He sees Summer and she seems happy to see him. Summer goes up and sings while Tom drinks with his friend and watches Summer. Summer then gets Tom a little drunk and has him sing karaoke. Afterwards, the three sit together and talk about ...
Director:
Marc Webb
Genre:
Drama
Release Date:
July 17, 2009
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Screen Writer:
Michael H. Weber,
Scott Neustadter
DVD Release Date:
December 22, 2009
Runtime:
1hr 35min
Studio:
Fox Searchlight
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