"(500) Days of Summer" succeeds by treating its content seriously: men fall in love; relationships are hard; sometimes the one you want does not fall in love with you. It also succeeds because of the strong cast, lead by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (TV's "Third Rock from the Sun") and Zooey Deschanel (tons of titles, but the first that always pops for me is "Elf").
It's laudable that we can watch a film where he is into her, but where she will break his heart and neither of the leads is demonized or caricatured. With few exceptions, Gordon-Levitt is a study in understatement. So, when he daydreams to Hall & Oates' "You Make my Dreams Come True", his bliss is palatable and amusing. Here, as in "Elf", Deschanel shows her subtle comic timing (I'm reminded of watching comedic actresses on flights without a headset on and noticing how many of them seem to channel Lucile Ball with her exaggerated mannerisms. Yes, Ball is Legend, but she is not alone!).
Perfect? Not quite. Some laughs early on seem to fall short, as if the movie is trying to find its groove, but it does find it within the first quarter. The voice-over succeeds half the time, but this is fine as it is not in much of the film. The speech from Deschanel's character at the end is metanarrative; we get the message, though this technique is a bit cumbersome. But, here, too, it's a tough call, because the scene does diffuse any concern that she might just be cruel, a little touched, or unable to love. It also prepares us to accept the final scene of hope for our hero.
To its credit, "500 Days" manages to have some fun with "Pulp Fiction", French cinema, and "The Seventh Seal" without seeming pretentious or absurd. It also has a good balance between situational comedy and plenty of cinematic moments with little dialogue. Overall, the film succeeds 80% of the time and is a capable debut for director Marc Webb.
Romantic-Comedy-wary guys, take note: when you are cornered with, "let's see <insert 'chick flick' here>", you now have a go-to: "well, what's that one with that girl from Elf? '500 Days of' something?" Then, sit back and enjoy.
| Movie title | (500) Days of Summer |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2009 |
| MPAA Rating | PG-13 |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | While sporting dual-frame shots, stylized production design, a jumbled timeline and occasional voice-overs, it's the subtle acting and direction that save this this enjoyable romantic comedy from hipster reflexivity. |
