500 Days of Summer (2009)

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Chloe Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler

When hearing from others that 500 Days of Summer was a “kooky” film, I felt instantly worried. I’ve seen far too many films where the director aims for “kooky” and ends up essentially with a bag of shit. Forced kookiness has got to be one of the most excruciating things to watch, and no doubt to put together. However, 500 Days of Summer hits the mark.

Thank Fuck.

On the most basic level, 500 Days of Summer can be summarised thus:

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn’t.


The boy in question? Gordon-Levitt’s Tom Hansen is a young, individual and likeable would-be architect, stuck in a job he hates. Instead of designing buildings, he designs greeting cards. Gordon-Levitt’s obviously been on the acting scene for years and years, notably cementing his career in 3rd Rock from the Sun, then starring in teen-flick (and every girl my age’s guilty pleasure) 10 Things I Hate About You, to graduate to the Smiths-strewn heights of this lovable indie number. And my GOD has he aged well. In a word; phwoar. But back to business...

Tom’s world changes when Deschanel’s Summer Finn lands a job at his office. He immediately decides she is “the one”, cueing a pretty amusing montage of scenes depicting Summer’s charmed life and how men gravitate around her. I don’t think they could have picked a better actress for the part – Deschanel is so beautiful and personable. After some decidedly dodgy previous films (the just kind of ok Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the travesty that was The Happening) it was great to see her in a film that stood up to her talent. You could easily see why someone would instantly fall in love with her, or indeed; Summer.

The problem?

Summer doesn’t believe in love and *shocker* isn’t looking for a boyfriend.

500 Days of Summer skips back and forth through time, showing the clear progression, and regression, of Tom and Summer’s not-quite relationship. A thing I really appreciated about this film is how real their interactions seem. You find yourself recalling past and present relationships you’ve had yourself, likening times when your partner’s moved their hand away from yours and crushed you, to times when you’ve stayed in bed together all day and enjoyed blissful nothingness. At times the film devastates you as you personally feel Tom’s anguish at not being what Summer really wants. At others, you literally experience your heart jump with the same hope he feels at hearing the six words “I’ve never told anyone that before” drop from her lips. It truly plays with your emotions, never letting you linger on any one feeling for long.

A scene that really resonated with me was one where the film becomes split screen. Tom attends a party that Summer’s hosting; on one side you see his expectations play out, while on the other real life inevitably slaps him down. There’s also a brilliant scene where Tom walks to work after sleeping with Summer for the first time, and spontaneously breaks into song while executing a joyful dance routine with his fellow commuters.

Yes, 500 Days of Summer is kooky in all the right ways. It has subtle nods to other films (a Lebowski-esque Tom buys orange juice and Jack Daniels in his dressing gown and sandals) and has a brilliant soundtrack, but doesn’t bombard you with “cool” in-jokes and pretentiousness. Visually, every set is stunning - you practically see the waves of creativity emanating from the screen.

It’s warm and cold, loving and hostile, cheerful and depressing – and will leave you thinking afterwards. A definite recommendation from me. Buy it on DVD as soon as it comes out, if not only to appreciate the gorgeous on-screen chemistry between the brilliant lead actors.