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Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Watching 500 DAYS OF SUMMER was actually a scary experience. The 95 minute presentation was so scary because of the accuracy it portrayed within it's subject matter. The film was funny, introspective, and brutally honest in every scene. Everyone can relate to this film in one form or another. This is one movie that all should see right away.
From the text above, one can assume a positive review is coming. The only negative aspect of the film is how it reflects our current society almost perfectly. As mentioned...scary. The audience won't be standing up and cheering at the conclusion of the film. They'll most likely sit in their uncomfortable theater seat just a bit longer and say, "How?" How did the cast and the writers tap into our minds? That is the simple magic of 500 DAYS OF SUMMER.
The story is one that most of have us have lived, but could go through again. The number times is up for discussion, but chances are one has been in the scenarios laid out in this film. It's the story of perspective love. Boy, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) meets girl, Summer (Zooey Deschanel). What follows are the trials and tribulations of identifying what the relationship is, as well as what each individual is thinking throughout. The story is told in a non-linear fashion. Meaning that it shows different time-frames of the where the "couple" is during their prospective relationship. The whole time this is going on, the audience sees Tom's support group which is comprised of his sister Rachel (Chloe Mortez) and his two friends McKenzie (Geoffrey Arend) and Paul (Matthew Gray Gubler).
In the grand scheme of things, the story of Tom and Summer examines if there is truly someone out there for everyone or is it all just forced actions in our mind. The delivery of this story is constantly moving. There is very little time for reflection in the audience, probably done on purpose by director Marc Webb. Webb doesn't set the table for the audience and defiantly doesn't want to dictate the feel of the story. He leaves the audience to find their own emotions regarding each scene. Without giving too much away, a good example of this is in a karaoke bar after the work day. Sounds familiar right? Some audience members were laughing at the scene, while some were just amazed on how accurate the scene played out, without adding the typical Hollywood-comedic situations.
For such a simple production, the special FX's are used well and often. However, it's not the typical FX's one is used to. They do give off the same affect though. Whether it was the "Health class-esque" video montage or the "reality vs. expectations" scene, it stunned the audience just as a big CGI explosion would. The movie's constant, is the subtle edge that this story carries in it's characters. It was amazing to see how the writers were able to tap into the modern minds of society, and then see the cast translate it into their roles. From top to bottom, the cast was sharp and natural throughout.
Although, the film is magical, the point of this story was to peel back the curtain and show the reality. The film will relate to all, but could hit home with the 18-34 year olds of the world. People in their 40s and 50s, may look at this film, and think how the roles of boy and girl have flipped-flopped. Others may just get purely educated. All will laugh though!
The film accomplishes a fine blend of raw humor and modern day struggles. This is the most realistic film one will see this year that can still keep the aspect of movie escapism prevalent. Remember, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER is not a love story, it's a true story...and the narrator will remind you if you forget!
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