Review: (500) Days of Summer
Opening July 17, in select cities.
(500) Days of Summer stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Lookout, 3rd Rock From The Sun) as Tom Hanson, a dispirited architect stuck in a dead-end job writing for a greeting card company. One day he experiences that once-in-a-lifetime moment of seeing “The One”. “The One” is Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel), a free spirited girl who is the emobdyment of indie-dream girl.
Now, as the film says in its early moments, this is not a “love story”. The film is told in a non-linear narrative structure and will travel from the beginning moments of their budding “relationship”, to its bitter end, and everything in between.
First off, the cast is wonderful mix that gels easily together. Most of the film is JGL and Zooey, but when the supporting players, most notably Geoffrey Arrend (Garden State, Greek) who plays Tom’s best friend Mac.
Zooey Deschanel brings her usual style, grace, and charm to the role of Summer. Its actually a difficult role in the sense that, through out much of the film you kind of hate Summer, but can not help but feel that sense of intrigue and love that Tom feels. I think thats the best compliment I can give Deschanel and director Marc Webb for achieving that. It also doesn’t hurt that I think Zooey may be one of the most beautiful women on the planet, so take it for what you will.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an actor that people need to start paying attention to. He can play drama, just see The Lookout, he can play comedy, see 10 Things I Hate About You, and in (500) Days of Summer he brings both sides to the table and he really takes advantage of every little part about his character. I could totally understand every emotion Hanson was going through and JGL didn’t play it with a sense of whining but a sense of quiet madness. Watching him I see a lot of Heath Ledger, from looks and voice to the kind of aura they give off, and I hope that directors stand up and take notice of the potential he has, he is only 28.
Also, Director Marc Webb really pulled off making (500) Days feel original and interesting. The rookie director, could easily have made a film that would have been written off as a hackneyed indie romcom, but brought a refreshing look and feel to the genre and used a somewhat complex story structure to do it that could also have easily sunk the film.
I had really high expectations for this movie, and really it lived up to almost all of them, and exceeded in many. If you like Gordon-Levitt or Deschenal, you will like it. If you like films like Garden State, Rachel Getting Married, or Little Miss Sunshine (maybe too broad with the last one) I think this will be up your alley. Hell, if you’ve ever been in love with someone who just makes you want to pull your hair out, I think this film has something for you.
(Update: The more I think about this movie, the more and more I love it. I had to move it up to 5 stars.)
