500 Days of Summer (2009) User Reviews (784)

A love story deftly built on unrequited love.

[slowcloud · 9/10 · 23 June 2009]

I haven't seen a romance this touching since I was the same type of single sad sack as depicted by the hero of (500) Days of Summer.

Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has his radar up for "the girl of his dreams" when he meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel). Too bad for Tom Summer is stuck on friends-with-benefits mode. Let the tension begin.

Director Marc Webb captures the feeling of innocent, naïve love expertly. Anyone who has taken the lyrics of the Smiths too closely to heart, would be moved by the idea of the person they are crushing on sing to them: "To die by your side/is such a heavenly way to die." No wonder Tom soon falls head over heels for this girl.

As events unfold out of sequence, you know all along Tom has fallen for a time bomb of a woman, and he can't even see the countdown. When that bomb finally blows up in his face, it unfolds with powerful simplicity-- no exposition or dialog, just two juxtaposed events that capture the heartache of reality hitting a person who sees a person through the filter of deep-seated emotions that were planted at too young an age.

So many romantic films nowadays concern themselves with cute ideas; take 'He's Just Not That Into You' or 'Serendipity' for example. Even movies like 'Knocked Up' where a pot-smoking, video-gaming, narcissistic slob tries to turn his life around to try to be a father feels more contrived than real. These movies forget about human feelings.

Who cares about stock or cartoonish characters in love. The couple in (500) Days of Summer have true chemistry. There are some beautiful, subtle moments of tenderness as well as some heart- rending moments of disconnectedness between the two that never comes across as heavy-handed. The movie constantly reminds you that these are two different people with different ideas of a relationship, yet they stubbornly continue dating, and they remain lovable all the same.

An omniscient narrator sets the film up early on by noting "this is not a love story." And, in a way, it isn't. It's a story about feelings. It just so happens (500) Days of Summer captures the sensation of falling in love better than most movies.

For more of my reviews, visit indieethos.com

The Glorious "(500) Days of Summer"

[amarcordforever · 9/10 · 15 July 2009]

Let's face it. We've all done our share of "dumping". Whether it's the, "Lets just be friends," or the all too familiar, "It's not you, it's me," tactic, as long as you're not on the receiving end it becomes a question of, "How quickly can I get this over with, so I can move on with my life?" Equally, all of us (yes even Brad Pitt) have experienced what it feels like to "be" dumped and the complex emotions that unexpectedly follow. If you're one of the fortunate souls that have managed to escape the throws of relationship hell, you'll probably fare better with renting the newest addition to the Rambo series. For the rest of you who've at one time or another gotten your hearts ripped out of your chests and stomped into a million pieces only to turn you into unshaven, alcoholic hermits on the brink of starvation…this movie is dedicated to you.

Tom (Joseph-Gordon-Levitt) is a wanna-be architect turned professional greeting card writer whose life is thrown for a loop when he suddenly falls for the "new girl" Summer (Zooey Deschanel, Almost Famous). As one who appeared most certainly unattainable at first glance, Tom manages to charm her into what she coins as a, "casual relationship." Eventually, Tom ends up questioning their status with one another, which manages to put strain on the relationship, causing her to request the dreaded "time apart." (500) Days of Summer chronicles the bitter sweet beginnings, the untimely endings and all of that confusing stuff that takes place during the in betweens of a relationship that just isn't meant to be.

(500) Days of Summer is presented in an effective non-linear style that sets it apart from its romantic comedy predecessors, rotating back and forth between dates signified by a simple title card flashing in between scenes (2), (50), (150) and so on to represent the various days in the course of Toms roller coaster of a relationship. This seesaw method of bouncing to and fro successfully manages to force the viewer in a physically engaging shared experience of Tom's feelings, which is something every director aspires to elicit from their intended audience.

The real kudos go to Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, whose script is practically flawless. You can't help but feel that their authenticity and attention to detail while constructing each scene through appropriately sarcastic and funny dialogue exchanges among all of the main characters involved, particularly those between Deschanel and Levitt which come across as heartbreakingly real and genuine. Their creative way of crafting the simple concept of a break up through unconventional story structuring is a refreshing concept that begs to be seen more in a world where most conventional films tend to play it safe.

Leads Deschanel and Levitt manage to bring something quite special to the screen in their portrayals of Tom and Summer (both "last nameless"). Their chemistry is really what makes the film a joy to watch. Mostly thanks to Neustadter and Weber's superb dialog, both actors seem so comfortable in their roles that their interactions with one another transcend the screen and naturally unfold before our eyes as if we were voyeurs to their unraveling, wanting so much to change the fate of their outcome, but helpless to do so. Deschanel is sexy, carefree and bound to be adored by males everywhere as Summer. Levitt captures the struggle of the neurotic "boy in love" exceptionally through all of his various stages of emotional imbalance.

(500) Days of Summer is a poem to every down and out guy who thinks he's the only one whose ever been dragged through the mill by their own Summer. What undoubtedly ends up making this picture so brilliant is how relatable it is to its victims and victimizers a like. When all is said and done, there is most definitely a lesson to be learned by Tom's experiences. Everyone you meet along the way, whether just passing through or sticking around for awhile, has a purpose. In the end nothing lasts forever, relationships begin, relationships end. Try to be thankful for all the people that broke your heart, they more than likely helped you find yourself in the process …especially you, Summer…bitch.

This is Not a Love Story

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 20 July 2009]

Greetings again from the darkness. The narrator warns us upfront ... this is not a love story. Still, we are so preconditioned by Hollywood, that directive merely floated around in my head until near the end of the film when I realized it was perfectly accurate.

Joseph Gordon-Levit and Zooey Deschanel are the leads and each bring a certain quirkiness and sensitivity to their roles. Watching them grow as a couple just never quite clicks for the viewer the way it does for JGL's character. He buys in hook, line and sinker and believes his destiny for love is being fulfilled by Summer (Zooey).

Director Marc Webb throws a bit of everything at us - just to prove this is not a traditional love story. We get the fun of memory blender - flashbacks like Day 488, Day 2, Day 159 - well you get the point. That is how most of us remember anyway: non-linear. We also get a funny musical number in the park, a b & w Bergmanesque dramatization, and a leading man whose poetic musings are limited to his writing quips for a greeting card company. Oh, he also takes love advice from his 11 year old soccer-playing sister (Chloe Moretz), but wisely declines most of it from his best friend played by sexist, drunken (and funny) co-worker, Geoffrey Arend.

What I really like about the film is that it is different, yet very realistic. So often our "dream" girl is just not quite a fit in this world, yet she and the next guy are just right. Doesn't seem fair, but in reality, it is not only fair, but perfectly just. And remember, there is always another season ... maybe Autumn?

Wonderful movie.

[grantss · 10/10 · 19 February 2018]

Wonderful movie. From the trailer it may appear like your typical boringly predictable romantic comedy, but in reality is a great comedy-drama, with great meaning and relevance, and an amazing twist.

Clever plot - not at all predictable, and very original. Direction is equally innovative, switching between different periods of time deftly, seamlessly and to the betterment of the movie.

The choice of lead actors was inspired. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are superb in the lead roles. The chemistry is spot-on, and both are suitably quirky and non-mainstream, avoiding it becoming a common-or-garden shmaltzy romance.

Topping it all off is a superb soundtrack. The music, excellent in isolation, is integrated perfectly into the movie, and is not overdone.

A must-see.

The Beautiful Days of Summer

[Billy_Costigan · 22 August 2009]

Everyone loves summer. It's a time for friends, family, and fun. Ballgames, barbecues, amusement parks, and movies, summer is just a time to sit back, relax and enjoy. Enjoy time off, good weather and whatever else it might bring. Am I missing something? Oh yes, love. Summer is a time for love.

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." But is it? 500 Days of Summer is not your typical romantic film. There's something to it, something more than your usual romantic comedy. Maybe it's the style it's done? Maybe it's the realistic nature? 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. Which reminds me of one particular scene where Summer questions Tom about believing in love. Tom replies, "It's love, it's not Santa Claus." It is a real thing, a crazy little thing called love. Tom falls in love with Summer from the start. She doesn't. Tom is like every other guy, and every guy knows of 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 highlights two young stars on the rise. With some great performances lately for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, his stock is rising... dare I say an up and coming Heath Ledger?

The story is not in direct order as it goes back and forth from different days Tom remembers his life and relationship with Summer. When remembering, we may not remember every detail in order. We choose what we want to remember. May that be the good, or the bad. For Tom, it's a little bit of both. Big props to the editing department. The film shows the good and the bad of love, relationships, and life. There's something about it that sets it apart from the usual romantic comedy.

500 Days of Summer is really refreshing now a days. It's funny, unique, and true to life. It's got something for everybody to like. Director Marc Webb shines in his feature film debut. I'm interested to see where he goes from here. 500 Days of Summer has quickly become a late summer highlight for me and surprisingly so at that.

Summer's Webb

[arichmondfwc · 9/10 · 22 July 2009]

Who is Mark Webb? Anyone? Anyone? It is an astonishing piece of work for a first time feature film director. He counts with a beautifully crafted screenplay and two sensational leading performances and that's where the success of this comedy resides. Jodseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are two startling originals with a winning screen presence and a brain, yes, a brain. I was involved in their peculiar relationship because there isn't a hint of shallowness in their back and fourth. I believe it, completely, and when you sit in the dark and believe what you see on the screen, things are going to happen to you the way that happened to me. It is again a confirmation that treating your audience with respect will pay off somewhere along the line. I love Zooey Deschanel, she reminds me of some my favorites of the past without looking or sounding like anybody else. And Joseph Gordon Levitt, well, this young man is something else. He projects a humanity that doesn't need to be embellished. It's just there for us to dive into. Marvelous actor, marvelous performance, marvelous film. I'm so thrilled to be able to say that.

500 Days of Bummer

[juan_ice · 6/10 · 4 November 2009]

You've got Zooey Deschanel acting like the new Meg Ryan, and a looking-and-sounding-more-like-Ledger-everyday Jason Gordon-Levitt; both are decent thespians, neither have unflattering angles, reviews use the word 'quirky' more times than you can count--this is pure box office gold right here. What could go wrong?

Nothing. Or so I thought. I actually wanted to see this movie. And, despite the annoyingly sporadic bursts of applause from an overenthusiastic moviegoer, I actually didn't find it too bad. But then I watched it again. I missed the first 5 minutes, see. The longer I thought about this movie, the more I found it disturbing.

"Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely accidental...Especially Jenny Beckman...Bitch."

This movie is really about hate, revenge, and why you shouldn't date fun, interesting, and unique women.

For a movie that mentions the word 'love' more times than any movie I've seen before, it has hardly anything to substantial or significant to say about this elusive idea. Oohhhhh, so it takes TWO people to fall in love! Really?! Is that news? One will learn more about a) indie music (the Smiths are indie now, I guess), b) how to make music videos from Marc Webb, and c) how to go on fun dates by frolicking in furniture stores, record shops, and drawing on your date's arm while staring meaningfully into the distant architecture.

Tom Hansen does absolutely nothing to enrich Summer as a person; or help her confront her childhood issues. He is simply the proverbial dick in the glass case. Break glass in case of emergency. Zooey's character Summer on the other hand, inspires Tom to pursue his life's ambition to become an architect. And he even ends up with the drop-dead Minka Kelly (who receives unusually high credits for gorgeously appearing for less than 5 minutes) as a result. So despite his bitching, Tom actually came out of it better than, perhaps, Summer. The audience doesn't even see who Summer ends up marrying...the writers know they can't justify it, besides, they've built Tom up too much already. So they just leave it at some lame encounter in a café where some random schmo comments on an Oscar Wilde book she's reading. Can this movie possibly get any more indie?

If you haven't seen "When Harry Met Sally," I highly recommend watching that instead. At least you'll learn something about relationships.

"500 Days of Summer" is a delightfully engaging and poignant tale of love

[PoeticProse22 · 10/10 · 19 August 2009]

"This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Tom Hansen of Margate, New Jersey, grew up believing that he'd never truly be happy until the day he met the one. This belief stemmed from early exposure to sad British pop music and a total mis-reading of the movie 'The Graduate'. The girl, Summer Finn of Shinnecock, Michigan, did not share this belief. Since the disintegration of her parent's marriage she'd only love two things. The first was her long dark hair. The second was how easily she could cut it off and not feel a thing. Tom meets Summer on January 8th. He knows almost immediately she is who he has been searching for. This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story."

500 Days of Summer is an intriguingly original take on falling in love. Every emotion involved with a relationship seems to be relayed; from the strange and quirky aspects of new love to the tragedy of heartbreak. Marc Webb deftly incorporates his ingenuity and comedy into the film. The writers quite skilfully enrich the film with one of the most immensely beautiful and original screenplays to come along in a while.

Tom, a greeting-card writer with artistic dreams beyond his mundane job, meets Summer and quickly falls for her. Eventually, he manages to charm her into a "casual relationship". So begins the 500 days that chronicle the happiness, heartbreak, and every other aspect involved with the often changing tides of romance.

500 Days of Summer portrays a relationship that is more realistic and less clichéd than most others in it's woefully unoriginal and formulaic genre. In doing so, the film never feels anything less than completely innovative and incredibly fun. The film's story is told in a refreshingly non-linear fashion that strives for and often reaches perfection with each and every scene.

The acting is wonderful, especially from the two leads. Since starring in Mysterious Skin (a disturbingly compelling film), Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been one of my favorite actors and proves yet again why he is one of the most talented actors of his generation. His performance was truly fantastic. Zooey Deschanel is absolutely wonderful in her portrayal of Summer and her quirky personalities. Their chemistry is wondrously compelling to watch and their moments together seem wholly convincing and genuine. The supporting cast is terrific throughout and very fun to watch.

The music was marvelous and really added to the film. Everyone involved does an amazing job to connect the several elements of love into a satisfying and moving conclusion. The film often shuffles between whimsy and realistic, but, rather than getting lost because of it, the story only seems to be enhanced due to the chaotically transitional moods.

500 Days of Summer is a hilarious, deftly thoughtful film about love. The performances are astonishing and the writing is sublime. It is a thoroughly clever and impressive film that shouldn't be missed.

A different type of romance ...

[Lady_Targaryen · 7/10 · 7 October 2010]

Tom Hansen works in L.A. writing greeting cards even though he's a graduated architect. One day, Summer Finn, an average but beautiful girl, starts working in the same company Tom works,as the new administrative assistant. And pretty soon, Tom stays very interested in Summer, what leads them to start dating. Summer warns Tom that she is not looking for a boyfriend and that she doesn't believe in relationships, but Tom, a romantic guy that is sure that Summer is the woman of his life, agrees with Summer's terms in order to continue to see her and maybe make her change her mind.

As time passes, we see the problems in a relationship between two different people, each one with their own different interests and perspectives.

I liked ' 500 days of summer' more then I imagined that I would. I don't think the story is happy or cheerful, but I do think it has many realistic points, I mean, who never stayed (stealing another user's terms) in a "I love you more than you love me" relationship? It's a complicated situation, specially when one person is completely in love, making wedding plans and the other one cannot even imagine to spend four days in a roll with you.

The way the story is told, jumping the days back and forward is very interesting too, because we can compare better the mood changes from Tom and the problems in his relationship with Summer.

PS: I don't like Summer. I like the story, but I do agree that Summer is cold and didn't care much for Tom's feelings. And I do agree that she got married very soon after she broke up with Tom.

Summer Lovin'

[sundevil27 · 9/10 · 30 January 2009]

They said this movie wasn't going to be a love story, but that's simply not true cause I feel all warm and fuzzy after watching this flick. I think it's Love. How could you not love this movie, this a story about a guy named Tom who wants to be an architect but ends up working a meaningless job at a greeting card company creating romantical propaganda on paper. Luckily for him the most perfect girl in the world, Summer, just started working at his office and wouldn't you know it, she loves The Smiths, too. It's a match made in Ikea Heaven, but wait there is a twist here! This goddess of all things shabby chic doesn't believe in love, furthermore she doesn't want to be held down by a relationship. Oh No! Poor Tom. Those ocean blue eyes, that voice, that smile, those eyes.... oh those eyes, how could Tom not fall deeply in love with Summer. So begins the season of love, the 500 Days of Summer. In 500 amazing days Tom will learn about relationships, reconciliations (a good Ex never dies), Love, Lose and most importantly about moving forward.

Now talk about great performances, this ones got two. You want Zooey, you got Zooey. She's all over this one, easily one of her top performances to date. She is simply truth in this movie, she'll make you love her and then she'll slowly break your heart but you'll just want to love her more until all you see are those glowing blue eyes in your loneliest nightmares. Joseph Gordon Levitt is so prime here, the chemistry between he and Zooey clicks perfectly and not only that but since every woman,man and child is in love with the knee bending powers of Ms. Deschanel it must be said that JGL gives such a strong performance that he clearly owns this movie all the way till the very end. You might come on down to the cinema looking for Zooey but you'll be rushing home to hit up the IMDb to see what the 3rd' Rock kids been up to over the last 8 ( hint... see 2005's Brick). While watching JGL's performance it's pleasantly reminiscent of a pre-Brokeback Heath. He has such a charm about him that glows and an easy smile that jumps off the screen, plus much like Heath he has the chops to take it dark and lonesome with sincerity if the flick requires. The rest of the cast rounds out nicely with a few supporting folks like Clark Gregg who plays Tom's square Boss and Geoffrey Arend who is good for a few good sidekick chuckles. By the way special shout out to Ian Reed Kesler who played the "Douche" (IMDBs words not mine) with perfection. That must have been an interesting audition call.. looking for 30-something dude to play the "Douche". Well Played Sir!

Now the dynamic duo aside, Marc Webb the Director has got a little something-something going on. Past sins aside (directing Jesse McCartney videos, WTF?), it seems that his music video hipness lends a freshness and style to the overall appearance of this flick. The movie very rarely missed its mark and by golly its got real DEPTH!. Needless to say this makes it quite a bit more interesting then the latest McConaughey (dude what happened, you were so cool in Dazed) and Kate Hudson needs a paycheck mindless studio romance. You'll have lots to talk about and feelings to relive long after this ones stopped rolling the credits. Additional strong points here are a visual aesthetic that has a modern meets Capraesque remix, which felt very much built around Zooey Deschanel's fabulous style. The colors and landscape are all complimentary to the movie, downtown LA never looked so nice! The other thing we got going on here is a killer soundtrack, built around some Smiths, Doves, and a few others, not mention the fact that once again we get a chance to hear Zooey Deschanel do a little karaoke in the movie which is a tasty little treat.

Bottom line 500 Days is going to be on your mind in 2009 and chances are that like a good EX it will always pop back in your life and you'll dust if off and pop it in the player and go down memory lane remembering all good stuff, then like a swift punch in the gut like only a good EX can, it'll break your heart all over again.

See it, believe it.

cant decide if i love it or hate it (but Summer is NOT the villain)

[abigailjackson-55395 · 6/10 · 7 December 2020]

I understand frustration about Tom not ending up with Summer despite them having an ongoing ambiguous relationship, but I completely disagree with the people that try to paint Summer as the villain. She's not even the antagonist if you think about it (if anything it's Tom). Summer flat out told Tom from the very beginning that she didn't want a relationship, but Tom was convinced that he could change her mind or something. He had completely wrong expectations considering that Summer was straight forward in her feeling about relationships. Tom set himself up for failure, Summer didn't lie about anything. Just because you are nice, treat someone well, or are even in love with someone doesn't mean that you are right for them. That's a hard pill to swallow so I think that's why so many people dislike the film. Sometimes you can do everything right, but it's just not meant to be. Nobody is really to blame.

Fun, offbeat non-rom-com

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 17 August 2014]

Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is always looking for the one. Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) doesn't believe in love since her parents' divorce. The narration explains that "This is not a love story". The movie moves in a non-linear timeline. His sister Rachel (Chloë Grace Moretz), McKenzie (Geoffrey Arend), and Paul (Matthew Gray Gubler) are his friends. Summer is the new assistant to his boss Vance (Clark Gregg) in his greeting card workplace and he falls head over heals.

Zooey is the 'It' girl and JGL is playing the adorable leading man. Zooey is a great fantasy girlfriend. They make a fine rom-com couple or in this case, the anti-rom-com couple. The non-linear structure and the serious narration give it a fantasy feel. It's offbeat in tone and in structure. It's not dripping in realism but it is loads of fun. Music video director Marc Webb brings a different sensibility to this traditional genre.

I didn't really like this

[rdoyle29 · 6/10 · 4 September 2022]

I didn't really like this film, and I've been wondering why that is. It seems to be similar to films I like, and I'd say I felt a low level current of something like entertainment while I was watching it, and I was interested in seeing how things unfolded.

I think there were a few things wrong.

It was quirky in a way that doesn't really sync up with any of the kinds of quirky that I like. I hear, for example, people complain about Wes Anderson and the preciousness of his films, and I never really get it because that's exactly what I like about Anderson. Watching this, I get it, because this film's preciousness annoys me.

I think I'd be okay with that if I thought it was funny. I really did not find this film to be very funny.

So I'm kind of left with a not very funny, really precious film about two people who fail to grow in any way. I don't really like or identify with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this film. All he really seems to know is that his heart was broken by Zooey Deschanel, and while there's a dim acknowledgment that his perception of their relationship may have been inaccurate, he learns nothing from this. Since he learns nothing, Deschanel doesn't get an arc either. He would have to want to know and understand her to give her the kind of inner life she'd need to have to be capable of growing.

Even so ... I think I'd have been okay with this if I thought it was funny.

My very confused outlook

[wakemeup36 · 5/10 · 19 April 2010]

I've avoided writing a review for this film for quite some time now because of a few reasons. One of them being I've been very unsure of how exactly I feel about this movie.

Critics and average movie goers have praised this movie immensely. It has been described by professional critics as "a delightful comedy, alive with invention" among other (positive) things. This specific statement is right about the movie being innovative. We have all seen, heard and read the overdone 'boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gains girl again'. But this is more like 'boy meets girl, boy loses girl... for good'. Going back to the statement :'a delightful comedy'? I think not. There is almost nothing funny about this movie. The supposed 'funny' parts are basically swearing...ummm...yep that's it. The other parts were way too depressing or 'touchy' to be perceived as humorous. Why this is branded as a romantic comedy I will never understand. If it were up to me I would brand this as an anti-romance movie more than anything. I will not go into the plot too much but I can tell you that the movie makes me sick even thinking about the concept of romance and love. How Summer (the girl) is perceived by Tom (the boy) as her soul mate and how it definitely seems that way in the beginning of their relationship. How it feels like they're 'in love'. And how Tom is pretty much stabbed and mentally abused when Summer suddenly described she's not interested. The popular 'Expectations/Reality' scene in which, on one side of the screen, Tom gains summer back (the expectations) and on the other side of the screen, where he is completely ignored by her (the reality). And of course the ending, which I won't spoil, all of these aforementioned factors combined together make me sick to my inner core.

I will commend the movie for being original, not following a generic romance movie formula. And this is probably more realistic than just about all movies in the same vein. But... I just can't like it. It just disgusts and frustrates me way too much. Underneath all the sunny sunshine presentation of the movie, there is too much darkness and depression. And I'm not saying that this is a necessarily a bad thing. It's just that, the way it's portrayed doesn't click with me. It felt me leaving very hollow and unhappy.

Then again, I am rating this more than I would rate a typical romance/drama and I'm not a fan of this genre so considering that this is a good rating. If you're into the romance genre check it out. Perhaps it's just my interpretation that's making me feel so disgusted at the movie. Like I said in my title, my views on this are pretty confused.

So realistic

[shakedatjunk · 9/10 · 28 August 2021]

Anyone who doesn't realize both these characters are flawed is missing the point.

Idk how a live action movie managed to be so realistic and compelling yet with so many surreal and bonkers aspects. The editing and directing here is amazing. The writing is just as amazing. 2 leads are some of the most realistically portrayed humans of all time. Great acting, humor, emotion, bleakness, bittersweet moments, happiness, revelations, all of it blends together for greatness.

I had Summer's personality completely figured out after the first dinner scene. You could tell she was scared of human connection because she knows it's hard & rare for love to last and she doesn't wanna be hurt or hurt others so she shuts herself off from others immediately. I knew from the beginning that she actually does believe she can love or fall in love, but she is just looking for the right person that she can actually do that with. She dips her foot in the water(such as her finally caving and kissing him in the copy room). She puts up the front for her potential candidates by saying she doesn't want to get serious in case she indeed doesn't fall in love with them, but you can tell that she is always in the lookout for her "soulmate", and what do you know by the end of the movie she found it.

I have to say Summer is right and I agree with her, but she went about everything in the most wrong way possible. Hiding her true feelings, not telling him about her relationship and getting his hopes back up, knowingly allowing him to fall in love with her even though she knows he isn't the one, gaslighting him by saying they're just friends or not in a relationship yet doing literally everything a relationship would do just so she could be happy for the time being.

Tom was definitely a good person, but he also had way too high of expectations and was trying to force something that wasn't there. That wasn't completely his fault, but him going to the party she invited him to with those expectations confirmed his true problem. Even when she warned him up front he had the optimism he could possibly be the one to make her love him. He did just about everything the average person with a crush who's falling in love would do.

They both had their flaws, and I agree with Summer's view on things, but she absolutely went about things the wrong way.

This movie is so real because many relationships in real life are just means to an end. She was selfishly using him for short term emotional fulfillment. She was also a means to an end for him, he just didn't know it at the time. His experience with her taught him that things just click and sometimes people are in your life just to further your goals such as him being pushed by her to finally become an architect like he truly wanted. They learned about themselves from each other and will use this experience later in their lives.

No matter how right she was, she was absolutely a slime ball about it and kind of got away with it. Props to her for coming out of her nihilism and depression and fear of human connection, but definitely at somewhat of a cost for Tom. He did learn from it though and gain new perspective and their reconciliation was nice. She definitely taught him something.

This movie was definitely inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion. Summer's personality was ripped right out of that show along with some of the editing at times being similar to the final 2 episodes of the original series.

This movie was also definitely an inspiration for La La Land, as the themes and lessons for both movies are very similar.

Fresh & Original Romantic Comedy

[J_Trex · 9/10 · 10 August 2009]

This was an excellent romantic comedy, although many might not agree that it is either romantic or a comedy. I found myself laughing out loud at many of the scenes, but the laughs in the theater were few, and I think most people would label this a drama with streaks of black comedy.

The driving force behind what makes this movie work (beside the script) is Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen, who carries the movie on the basis of his physical comedy and acting ability. He is the unrequited love interest in the film. JGL does have brief glimpses of true love with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) but it's clear she's not interested in anything permanent, just a good time. After his initial sexual encounter with Summer, JGL engaged in a choreographed dance routine of Hall & Oats "Your Making my Dreams Come True", which should win JGL some type of award.

Deschanel plays the role she usually plays, soulful & pretty free spirit. She played the character very well and the movie viewer could well understand her reticence to engage in a long term affair with Tom.

These types of movies might leave some cold, but the ending turned out well.

One additional bonus was Chloe Moritz, who played Tom's younger teenage sister and Psycho-Analyst. She was great.

A very good movie worth checking out. A near perfect date movie I might add.

Masterpiece of the Good/Bad Times of Love

[Michael_Elliott · 22 August 2009]

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

**** (out of 4)

This romantic comedy is without question one of the best films of the year and will probably go down as one of the greatest films to grace the genre. It's not often I fall head over hill in love with a film from this genre but this here should be put beside ANNIE HALL in terms of its great characters and dialogue. The film tells the story of Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel), two oddball people who begin dating, which is great until he starts to fall in love and she doesn't. Most Hollywood love stories are so corny and have so much sugar on them that one can't help but get choked in all the stupidity but thankfully that doesn't ring true with this independent masterpiece that manages to be thoughtful, intelligent, funny, sad and perfect nail down the ups and downs of a relationship. ANNIE HALL is my favorite movie of all time and there's a lot of comparisons that could be made with this film. Another favorite of mine from the past decade is Kevin Smith's CHASING AMY and once again, I think the films can be compared for their leading men who go after something they can't have. What works so well with this story is how incredibly charming it is right from the start. The masterful screenplay is so perfectly written that it can jump from happy to sad times and not miss a beat. A lot of director's wouldn't be able to handle this jump and that's why so many films end up feeling uneven but director Webb handles it all perfectly well and doesn't miss a beat. Another major plus is that the performances are so excellent that you can't help but fall in love with the characters. Gordon-Levitt plays that "dork" type of character but he brings so much more to the role. His comic timing is perfect but he also manages to be very believable in the more dramatic moments and this includes a rather heartbreaking scene at the end when he finally builds up the courage to ask Summer a certain question while sitting on a park bench. Deschanel seems to have a strong cult following around her and I was never a member until this film. She is so incredible in the role that I honestly can't sit here and think of anyone who would have been better or done more with it. She is so flawless in building up her role into a real character because you could have written her off as the bad person but that never happens because we, unlike Tom, can understand her feelings and her reasons for being the way she is. This is really a film about a guy who finds happiness and expects it to last forever when the second person might not be looking that far ahead. To me the film has a lot to say about relationships, feelings and just human nature all around. The romantic-comedy is perhaps the most worn out genre in film history but ever so often a real gem comes along and (500) DAYS OF SUMMER is that gem.

After Summer, It Comes Autumn

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 19 December 2009]

In Los Angeles, the architect Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works writing greeting cards. When the romantic Tom sees the newcomer assistant Summer Finn (Zoey Deschanel) in the office, he immediately has a crush on her. A couple of months later, they start to date each other but Summer tells him that she does not believe in love and they are just friends; but Tom is sure that Summer is the woman of his life. When they break their relationship, Tom's younger sister Rachel (Chloe Moretz) advises him to forget Summer. In the end, he discovers that after Summer, there is Autumn.

"(500) Days of Summer" is an overrated romance disclosed in non- chronological sequence. The screenplay uses the idea of "Przypadek" with the Expectation and Reality of Tom and Summer reunion in the roof party. Zoey Deschanel is very sweet and beautiful performing a hypocrite character and shows a great chemistry with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but the unexpected conclusion of their boring romance is totally disappointing. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "(500) Dias com Ela" ("(500) Days with Her")

Achingly Beautiful, the misery of one's love lost - love remembered.

[jeanpierre15 · 8/10 · 1 August 2009]

I don't regularly comment on movies, but this has a personal accord with me.

My girlfriend of one year broke up with me the day before I went to watch this film, as promised.

That being said, Tom (Joseph Gordon Levit) embodies my apathy and frustration in every mannerism. He allows the audience to feel his pain and disappointment. Tom is a man with boyish ideals, coming to terms with the grief of rejection. He teaches her how one loves, yet she never learns to except and give as selflessly. Probably because, as I and Tom have painfully learned, you can't teach or bequile someone as you would a child into doing love 'properly.' And sometimes, true love dies, and no sea of tears can change that.

Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, is fun, beautiful and selfish. Undoubtedly the villain, the film seeks a reversal of standards; the male is now being preyed upon.

Is Tom naive? or is Summer a cruel and self interested girl?

The only thing that really bothered me was the director's incessant need to punctuate scenes of emotional substance with cliché romantic comedy relief. He already broke custom, why conform?

Not up to snuff

[veeshl · 7/10 · 1 September 2009]

Based on the current IMDb ratings, I was expecting a lot - something on par with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I was expecting something clever, artistic, thought-provoking, and - most of all - insightful. Not so, unfortunately. Reasons: 1. Dialogue - not witty, not clever (and I was expecting wit out the wazoo from this movie). The characters offered nothing profound about their emotional turmoil, their angst. The one diatribe that the main character has in the middle of the movie is the same clichéd piffle about unrequited love that we've heard a million times already ("*boo hoo* what does the word love mean? Why don't we say what we feel?"). Tom - the main character - is incapable of answering these questions, and his monologue is nothing more than whining. Zooey's character is quirky in her dress and style, but her intelligence or attitudes are not particularly quirky.... unless you call playing the penis game in the park quirky. 2. Emotional depth of characters - I think this relates to the shallow dialogue, but the characters - especially the guy - don't seem capable of thinking about, say, the cosmic significance of their emotions. They're content being slaves to their feelings, and, like automatons, perform the expected rituals, asking profound questions such as "what's going on between us? Like, what are we?" (referring to the boyfriend-girlfriend question). That's the most thought provoking question that Tom Hansen can come up with. Not unusual, not unique, not clever. Likewise with Summer's response.

I give the film credit for the way the anachronistic story-telling, which made it feel like a mystery movie. And it had a few clever moments, like the dance scene in the park.

I'm being hard on this movie because it's made its way into the IMDb Top 250. The other movies in the top 250 are life-altering movie-going experiences: they affect the way you think about the world. Each one a revolution in film-making and/or story-telling. Consistently. (500) Days of Summer fails in both of these.

Save your money. If you want a thought-provoking love story, go rent "Eternal Sunshine."

All the Incels need to chill

[pglover-74203 · 8/10 · 8 December 2020]

Bruh. SO many of the reviews are just "wahhh all women are lying TRASH!! >:(" Y'all are obviously missing the point. The point is that this is REAL. I don't know why people are saying she's a liar when she isn't. She's very upfront about what she wants because that's genuinely what she thought. But then things escalated. That's how it works sometimes. Just because we think we want something doesn't mean it'll work out that way. And people get caught up. And by the time she was too far in she realized it was too late and he was in love. That doesn't make her a liar, it makes her human. Summer could've handled it better. Hanson could've also handled it better. He knew her intentions going in, but he got caught up. Just like the rest of us. It happens. There's no villain here, just human beings. If you're just gonna watch this movie and cry about how all women are evil because you're a pathetic excuse of a human, then please exit. This movie is heartbreaking, but also a good lesson. It may not be for everyone and that's ok, but no need to blame an entire gender for something a fictional character did (even though she didn't? Still confused where the "she's a liar" thing came in...). Watch this if you've ever gotten carried away with love, and hopefully you see the beauty :)

punchline is the last word

[akh8 · 6/10 · 10 January 2010]

This was a believable film about unrequited love. I thought the film was quite slow moving and hard to sit through. It was annoying how he chased after her and she was so cold toward him. I suppose this happens a lot in real life. I think the actor who played Tom did a great job but I found the role of Summer to be very annoying. Why would he fall for her? Nothing much happens throughout the whole film until the end. It gets interesting towards the end of the film and then the last word of the film is classic. I do like the theme of hope. I am glad I sat through the whole film and was able to get to the ending because the last word in the film is the punchline to a long, boring joke.

both crushing and hopeful, just like life

[spimpernel · 9/10 · 11 June 2009]

This movie deserves a spot next to "When Harry Met Sally" in my DVD collection. The movie jumps back and forth in the storyline, which was a clever way to lay out the plot, but you have to pay attention, so you can keep track of how much time elapses between various key events. Great use of music. It's not explicitly stated, but the story is told from the perspective of the male lead, Tom, and thus neither you nor Tom ever quite understand why the female lead (Summer) feels or acts the way she does. This is important to know, because this is how things are in real life and often leads to frustration, especially if "Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't." Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a perfect job of making the viewer feel every high and low on Tom's 500-day journey, and Zooey Deschanel gives Summer the qualities of being both approachable and unattainable.

"(500) Days of Summer"

[colinrgeorge · 6/10 · 6 April 2010]

The trailer for Marc Webb's "500 Days of Summer" goes out of its way to define itself as especially "not a love story," which I guess is arguable by some gimmicky perspective technicality, and the film and its creators clearly imagine themselves pioneers in the romcom genre, but are deluding themselves if they don't admit to their playful plagiarism of half a dozen better films.

It's not that "Summer" is an entirely derivative work, but when a film is touted for its imagination, call me old-fashioned, but I'd like to see something new. The story and performances are satisfying, but its impossible to hear the staccato, high-brow, third-person narration without being reminded of Wes Anderson's "Royal Tenenbaums," or ignore the similarities to Michel Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" in its non-linear examination of a crumbling relationship, or even watch the film's exuberant park dance sequence without being distracted by its striking resemblance to a number in Disney's "Enchanted."

The film relies on a few other pet peeve clichés, like a precocious eleven year old (Chloe Moretz) who coaches her grown-up brother, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), through his rocky relationship with Summer (Zooey Deschanel), or the ending. There's unquestionably more emotional maturity on display in Webb's film than in most PG-13 Hollywood romantic comedies, but its final moments are pure formula. It's not that Tom and Summer are able to reconcile; they aren't. The trailer said as much. But the popular, ludicrously sentimental and instantly unnecessary rule in ending a romantic comedy in which the love interests don't reunite is that the protagonist needs to meet someone else by the film's end, almost always tacked onto the last five minutes. And as if that wasn't sappy enough, Tom's new girl is eye- rollingly named 'Autumn.' Come on, movie. You were talking about real people there for a minute.

But as I said, the film is halfway able to overcome its foundation of clichés mostly thanks to the stellar performances of its cast. Zooey Deschanel is adorable and completely believable as the sort of siren that would drive a guy like Tom out of his mind. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is charming and funny and never comes off as pathetic as the character easily could. The supporting cast, particularly Geoffrey Arend as Tom's buddy McKenzie, is spot on.

Still, "Summer" is atonal, perhaps from inception in its intention to create both visual metaphors for the sublimity of love and the unapologetic reality of loneliness, but the two worlds never cooperate for the artistic whole, effective as they may be apart. The occasional superfluous bit of narration, precedent-setting but decidedly uncommon fantasy sequences, textbook indie quirk, and non-sequential storytelling all ultimately distract from what would otherwise be considered an acceptable but utterly average love story. And let's face it. To suggest "500 Days of Summer" isn't a love story makes for a nice piece of sloganeering, but is as gimmicky and wafer-thin as the methods Webb employs to distinguish his film from the rest of the romcom crowd. It's a sweet, human piece of storytelling undone by its faux- ingenuity. Everything that distinguishes "500 Days of Summer" has been done better before, and while it's still worth a few healthy chuckles, the young filmmakers hardly make a name for themselves beyond copycats.

A different opinion

[santoshayoga · 4/10 · 29 August 2009]

I was really hoping and expecting to like this film. I was surprised to walk out of the theater annoyed at what seemed like an adolescent take on romantic love. Maybe part of the problem is that I recently watched Annie Hall. Like many other filmic treatments of love, 500 days seems derived from Annie Hall. There are Bergman references, cartoon characters, split screens, direct address of the audience which all smell and feel like the classic. Even the Deschanel character seems like a flat, more one dimensional,cynical version of Annie (she doesn't hold a candle to Diane Keaton, no where near the charm and far more disturbed) delivering conversation ending platitudes like "what always happens...life." (oooh, that's deep). Sis far more a caricature than anything else. I would lay bets her marriage ends in divorce and that she is much more pathological than the film lets you in on. The Joseph-Gordon Levitt character also seems unsophisticated and puerile. Although he is charming in his role, he is never in anything approaching love with this woman; he remains mired in his projections and idealizations of her and we are forced to watch this painful display of 14 year old obsession. I think by the end he gets it, but by then you have had to suffer right along with him. He is also not spared the stultifying writing {the quitting his job speech where he decides he's not going to be part of the "bulls**t" any longer) that makes this move sound like a grown ups Say Anything.

I guess that was my main problem with the movie. It just doesn't really seem to have anything intelligent or important to say about love. These people didn't seem credible to me, they lacked depth and maturity. In the 32 years that have elapsed since Annie Hall it seems that our culture has gotten more childish and superficial and less, not more, understanding of love. Maybe that is what is most disappointing to me; that this is what we have to say about the subject. If that is the case no wonder people are so emotionally stunted when it comes to relationships.

And lastly, I just couldn't buy the whole LA thing. Why try so hard to make LA look like New York? Who takes the train, the subway and the bus? I mean, isn't LA good enough as it is without tying to make it look urban in the traditional sense?