This review is long overdue. 500 Days of Summer is my best movie for 2009. The narrator was right when he said at the start that this is not a love story. It’s about Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his quest of finding the girl of his dreams.
Then Summer (Zooey Deschanel) came and Tom’s world revolved around her. Too bad for Tom, Summer doesn’t want any commitments. This is the main premise of the movie. 500 Days of Summer expertly portrayed unrequited love.
500 Days of Summer managed to use a non-linear approach to its advantage. It went back and forth along the timeline with a simple title card to indicate which day it is among the 500 days in their relationship. The audience experiences how Tom’s feelings seesaw from happy to sad.
The script was perfectly written and helps give 500 Days of Summer an authentic feel. The dialogues were flawlessly delivered by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. As Tom, Levitt managed to exceptionally portray a boy who’s hopelessly in love as he goes through the emotional rollercoaster brought by Summer. Deschanel is ideal as Summer. She exudes every characteristic that makes her just right for the role.
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt): I love how she makes me feel, like anything’s possible, or like life is worth it.
Most guys can definitely relate with Tom. There would always be that one girl (a couple for some) who personifies Summer in their life. Relationships can’t always have a happy ending. Just remember that that person that broke your heart made you a much stronger person you are today. So what if she ended up getting married after she told you she’s not ready to commit just like what Summer did to Tom. There’s always autumn after summer.
The bottom line is that I enjoyed 500 Days of Summer and I’m naming it as the best movie of 2009. I don’t care if it wasn’t nominated for an Oscar award this year. It is an extraordinary movie that is a must see. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should!
