Today’s quick review: 500 Days of Summer. Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a romantic who believes in love at first sight, thinks he’s found the girl of his dreams in Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel), a smart, funny coworker who doesn’t believe in love at all. Their mutual attraction turns into a long and seemingly happy relationship. But when the relationship hits a rough patch, Tom must decide whether what they had was real or merely self-delusion.
500 Days of Summer is a romantic comedy about true love and heartbreak. 500 Days of Summer walks through the life cycle of a relationship, from its eager beginnings to the regret and bitterness that set in as it runs its course. The movie draws its comedy from its exaggeration of the ups and downs of Tom’s life, in the process fleshing out a modern, somewhat cynical perspective on romance. The movie is successful but likely to be hit-or-miss.
500 Days of Summer attempts something rare for a romantic comedy: it treats its lead couple as imperfect human beings who are not necessarily destined for happiness. At their best, Tom and Summer are clever, happy, flirtatious, and effortlessly compatible. At their worst, they are unfair, spiteful, selfish, and obstinate. These shifts in the tenor of their relationship are frustratingly realistic, driven by human faults and real disappointments.
How much you get out of 500 Days of Summer will depend on how much you appreciate what it’s trying to achieve. The movie as a whole maintains an upbeat tone, skimming over the surface of Tom’s heartbreak without losing its sense of perspective. But unlike other romantic comedies, its protagonists are hard to forgive. Once introduced, their bitterness never leaves the story, even as Tom and Summer attempt to walk back the things they said and did.
500 Days of Summer will appeal to anyone who enjoys quirky, modern romances or more ambivalent takes on love. Others will appreciate it for its effective comedy and capable cast, but to get the full effect of the movie, you must connect with Tom and Summer, something that won’t come naturally to all viewers. The result is a fun and reasonably unique movie that won’t quite click for some viewers and will resonate deeply with others.
For a quirky, nuanced take on romance with a more optimistic tone and more artistic execution, try Amelie. For a modern romantic comedy with a musical twist, try La La Land. For a fantasy-fueled post mortem on a similar relationship, try Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid execution on an unusual premise; your score will vary depending on your taste in romance.