First things first, let’s get this straight: this is not a love story. This is not a rom-com.
This is a story about love, a story about real life.
This, as a story, is one of the most enjoyable, likeable and feel-good films this year.
Preppy romantic Tom (the greatest unsung actor of his generation™ Joseph Gordon-Levitt – The Lookout/Brick) believes in the notion of true love and is waiting for it to walk into his life. Enter kooky free spirit Summer (the painfully cute-looking and proud owner of the sexiest voice in movies™ Zooey Deschanel – Yes Man/Elf) who doesn’t. Compatible in every other way (they both love The Smiths after all), following a brief bout of will-they-won’t-they of flirting, a “casual” relationship ensues. Fun times are had at IKEA and karaoke and public parks. Fast-forward to hundreds of days later and things aren’t so rosy at bars and cafés and public parties.
So goes the story of Tom and his (500) Days of Summer: a non-linear, kaleidoscopic portrait of life, love and the complexities of romance. Told through time jumps, split-screen, a hip-pop soundtrack and creative, vivacious visuals, this is an anatomy of a relationship quite unlike any other.
A charming, winning, spontaneous, unique and very very funny look at the ups and downs of man-meets-woman, (500) Days manages to perfectly balance the light and fluffy with the serious and sharp.
A superlative cinematic treat, four things in particular make this film as good as it gets:
1. The sharp, smart and imaginatively structured screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, begging the question: what the bejesus went on with Pink Panther 2?
2. The fresh and inventive direction by former pop supremo Marc Webb. Expect much more than Fergie and Pussycat Dolls music vids from him in the future, although his Daniel ‘Bad Day’ Powter vid is a good indication of what to expect here.
3. The layered, convincing and involving performances from a talented cast, most notably the excelling-again Gordon-Levitt (Deschanel can play this sort of role in her sleep), but also from supporters Geoffrey Arend (Garden State), Clark Gregg (Iron Man) and Chloe Moretz (the upcoming Kick-Ass).
4. The central song and dance number that rivals Enchanted for toe-tapping, grin-inducing, sunshine-providing, uplifting enjoyment.
That said the film can be overly cutesy and clichéd at times, stretching your limit for consumption of slushiness. Of course this might just all be part of the masterplan: if the sickly, soppy, sentimental, schmaltzy Eskimo-kissing memories of their happy early days together smacks you as rose-tinted and too-good-to-be-true, then it probably is and you’re reading it right. The omnipotent narrator that pipes up sporadically will undoubtedly irk some too.
These are, of course, very minor faults and merely poking what doesn’t need poking. A film as artistic, truthful, entertaining and enjoyable as (500) Days of Summer comes around far less often than the seasons and when it does it deserves celebrating, promoting, eulogising and rewarding, not nitpicking. So do yourself a favour, see this for yourself and bask in its warm summery glow.
Author’s note: kudos on an awesome Han Solo gag. A small moment that makes a brilliant film shine even brighter.
[etRating value=“ 4”]
This is a story about love, a story about real life.
This, as a story, is one of the most enjoyable, likeable and feel-good films this year.
Preppy romantic Tom (the greatest unsung actor of his generation™ Joseph Gordon-Levitt – The Lookout/Brick) believes in the notion of true love and is waiting for it to walk into his life. Enter kooky free spirit Summer (the painfully cute-looking and proud owner of the sexiest voice in movies™ Zooey Deschanel – Yes Man/Elf) who doesn’t. Compatible in every other way (they both love The Smiths after all), following a brief bout of will-they-won’t-they of flirting, a “casual” relationship ensues. Fun times are had at IKEA and karaoke and public parks. Fast-forward to hundreds of days later and things aren’t so rosy at bars and cafés and public parties.
So goes the story of Tom and his (500) Days of Summer: a non-linear, kaleidoscopic portrait of life, love and the complexities of romance. Told through time jumps, split-screen, a hip-pop soundtrack and creative, vivacious visuals, this is an anatomy of a relationship quite unlike any other.
A charming, winning, spontaneous, unique and very very funny look at the ups and downs of man-meets-woman, (500) Days manages to perfectly balance the light and fluffy with the serious and sharp.
A superlative cinematic treat, four things in particular make this film as good as it gets:
1. The sharp, smart and imaginatively structured screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, begging the question: what the bejesus went on with Pink Panther 2?
2. The fresh and inventive direction by former pop supremo Marc Webb. Expect much more than Fergie and Pussycat Dolls music vids from him in the future, although his Daniel ‘Bad Day’ Powter vid is a good indication of what to expect here.
3. The layered, convincing and involving performances from a talented cast, most notably the excelling-again Gordon-Levitt (Deschanel can play this sort of role in her sleep), but also from supporters Geoffrey Arend (Garden State), Clark Gregg (Iron Man) and Chloe Moretz (the upcoming Kick-Ass).
4. The central song and dance number that rivals Enchanted for toe-tapping, grin-inducing, sunshine-providing, uplifting enjoyment.
That said the film can be overly cutesy and clichéd at times, stretching your limit for consumption of slushiness. Of course this might just all be part of the masterplan: if the sickly, soppy, sentimental, schmaltzy Eskimo-kissing memories of their happy early days together smacks you as rose-tinted and too-good-to-be-true, then it probably is and you’re reading it right. The omnipotent narrator that pipes up sporadically will undoubtedly irk some too.
These are, of course, very minor faults and merely poking what doesn’t need poking. A film as artistic, truthful, entertaining and enjoyable as (500) Days of Summer comes around far less often than the seasons and when it does it deserves celebrating, promoting, eulogising and rewarding, not nitpicking. So do yourself a favour, see this for yourself and bask in its warm summery glow.
Author’s note: kudos on an awesome Han Solo gag. A small moment that makes a brilliant film shine even brighter.
[etRating value=“ 4”]
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