500 DAYS OF SUMMER….3.5****




The film can be pretty much summed up in one of the first lines of the film. "This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story." 500 Days of Summer is not your typical romantic film. There's something to it.. Maybe it's the style. Maybe it's the realism. Maybe it's the wonderful music? Maybe its the beautiful cinematography? Maybe, its Tom and Summer...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are the leads, Tom and Summer. These are real everyday people. Tom, a believer in true love. Summer, a doubter. Tom falls in love with Summer from the start. She doesn't. Tom is like every guy, and every guy has known a girl like Summer. The girl they want, but can't have. They try, to no avail. It's frustrating, and Tom is frustrated. He's happy then sad. He doesn't know what to think. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel have great chemistry together and give solid performances. You really believe their relationship and hardships. It makes you notice the little things in relationships. The film also highlights two young stars on the rise.

The story is not in chronological order as its jumps back and forth from different days as Tom remembers his life and relationship with Summer. When remembering he, as we, may not remember every detail in the in exact order in which it occurred. We choose what we want to remember. That may be the good, or bad. For Tom, it's a lot of both . The film shows the good and the bad of love, of relationships, and life. There's something about it that sets it apart from the usual romantic comedy.

Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are perfect in this movie. He is tossed around both emotionally and physically, from extreme highs to terrible lows, and if you don't cheer for him, then you have no heart. She owns the screen, and everything about her makes it easy to see why a guy would spend (500) days pining for this woman.
Clark