500 Days of Summer (2008)

MEMENTO meets ANNIE HALL…. for the new generation! Two of our most beloved indie actors have joined forces to make one of the most indie movies ever! It’s about relationships (we’ve all been in those) told predominantly through the male perspective. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works at a greeting card company and the theme of the cards he writes changes with his mood. What a cute storytelling device. I would say the best word to describe this movie is cute. It’s full of cute colors, cute editing, cute situations, cute shower sex scenes (no nudity…. Sorry Dad).

The film is told chronologically out of order and is narrated by the INSIDE THE NFL guy (or at least that’s what it sounds like). This narration style reminded me a lot of LITTLE CHILDREN. That was narrated more like it was a discovery channel program about a herd of antelope rather than people in the suburbs. 500 DAYS had a similar feel, but didn’t have the debauchery, child molestation or castration of LITTLE CHILDREN.

At points, I feel like Gordon-Levitt was putting on his best Hunter S. Thompson impersonation and Zooey Deschanel was just being Zooey Deschanel. There were many parts of the film that were ridiculously identifiable. A big theme of the movie was how the “modern” relationship works. How young adults don’t want to commit to anything too serious and want to leave their options open. Dating still goes on, but it never reaches a serious level of commitment (in a traditional sense). It’s the elimination of ownership and the embrace of being with someone and not having to put a pesky label on it. I know I have said, “No need to put any labels on it.” And I after I watched 500 DAYS I wondered: “Shit, am I being cliché or does this further validate my point?” I could go both ways on the topic. I felt like I had a somewhat original thought when I first said that, but then Joe Gordon-L said it in a movie. If someone says something in a movie (that you have uttered before) does it give you more cred or does it discredit you?

I don’t know. Perhaps 500 DAYS represents the new relationship and the direction things are heading, but I also feel like these ideas have been around as long as people have been doing it with each other. I feel like a lot of people can relate to this movie and the struggles of Joe Gordon-L. One of my favorite details is how un-chauvinistic the Tom character is. Sure, he does call Summer a whore in one of his greeting cards, but that’s beside the point. This movie was written by men though, so it might just be propaganda for them. Not sure. I wonder if the writers got laid because of this movie.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is the title. It’s just such a cute pun. SPOILER ALERT! The girl’s name is Summer and Joe Gordon-L has a 500 day relationship with her (from meeting her, all the way to the end). It’s NOT like the season. Isn’t that cute?

I would say 500 DAYS is an insightful relationship movie, something you should watch with that special someone. Wither you are madly in love or interested in things becoming more “serious,” you should watch it. You should also watch REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, another wonderful movie you should watch with someone if you are giving marriage any kind of thought (and who isn’t?).

Not sure what else to say about 500 DAYS. I would like to watch it again. I watched it with Amy and she has seen it multiple times and loves it. I am sure she won’t mind watching it with me again.

I need breakfast.