(500) Days of Summer - the sleeper hit of 2009: the film that came out of nowhere to make its budget back 8 times over and make everyone fall in love with it as well. In short, Marc Webb's directorial debut is fantastic.
The script for this film must be applauded as it is non-stop laugh from start to finish, whether it gets its laughs from friendly banter or Han Solo. There isn't a laugh that falls on its face, there is just a constant stream of chuckles, sneers, smiles and a howl or two to be had by everyone before the credits roll.
The two leads are brilliant together, they aren't two tanned and toned gods wearing levis and armani, they look and act real, Deschanel has slightly goofy teeth and Gordon-Levitt could do with combing his hair but it just adds to the relatability. Deschanel plays pretty much her usual "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" shtick but to great effect, it doesn't grate or feel like a rehash from other characters, she makes Summer feel genuine, giving her a depth that Tom's memories don't really allow. Gorden-Levitt is more than likable as Tom, despite the narrator telling us up front that "this is not a love story" you want him to get his happy ending. Gordon-Levitt plays Tom well, nailing how to play different parts of his personality (defeatist, romantic, awkward, dreamer, lovestruck).
Webb's directorial style is solid, its mostly quite intimate, no more than 3 people in a shot together, which it needs to be - such as when Tom and Summer are lying in bed together. Yet he also frames Los Angeles spectacularly well, the architecture of the city is showcased to great effect, making it the understated star of the movie, allowing you to understand why Tom has such affection for certain buildings.
The supporting cast is delightful too, Chloe Grace Moretz's is funny as Tom's pre-teen sister that gives him advice on troubles of the heart (just stop being a pussy) while its always great to see Clark Gregg in anything, with him being on fine form here as Tom's boss at a greeting card company (loss of faith, no reason to live. This is perfect for you).
(500) is a clever feature as it employs several offbeat methods of telling its story, its non-linear narrative often juxtaposes events, to humorous results. Furthermore the use of narration, black and white cutscenes, split-screen, a clever musical number and an animated calendar all work remarkably well.
One of the main atrractions of this film is how it finds it heart and sense of humour, being that love can be amazing and it can be devastating but it is never as bad as you think it is, example, when Tom hears "she's like the wind" and screams "I hate this song!" resulting in him being kicked off a bus. We the audience have all been at that point and can see how funny it is to think we've acted like that.
Another bonus is the soundtrack, which is filled with little gems such as The Smiths, The Temper Trap, Mumm-Ra and Doves. The films own original score charmingly plays with the events on screen, being a simple note or two here, subtly emphasing the emotion.
4.5
The script for this film must be applauded as it is non-stop laugh from start to finish, whether it gets its laughs from friendly banter or Han Solo. There isn't a laugh that falls on its face, there is just a constant stream of chuckles, sneers, smiles and a howl or two to be had by everyone before the credits roll.
The two leads are brilliant together, they aren't two tanned and toned gods wearing levis and armani, they look and act real, Deschanel has slightly goofy teeth and Gordon-Levitt could do with combing his hair but it just adds to the relatability. Deschanel plays pretty much her usual "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" shtick but to great effect, it doesn't grate or feel like a rehash from other characters, she makes Summer feel genuine, giving her a depth that Tom's memories don't really allow. Gorden-Levitt is more than likable as Tom, despite the narrator telling us up front that "this is not a love story" you want him to get his happy ending. Gordon-Levitt plays Tom well, nailing how to play different parts of his personality (defeatist, romantic, awkward, dreamer, lovestruck).
Webb's directorial style is solid, its mostly quite intimate, no more than 3 people in a shot together, which it needs to be - such as when Tom and Summer are lying in bed together. Yet he also frames Los Angeles spectacularly well, the architecture of the city is showcased to great effect, making it the understated star of the movie, allowing you to understand why Tom has such affection for certain buildings.
The supporting cast is delightful too, Chloe Grace Moretz's is funny as Tom's pre-teen sister that gives him advice on troubles of the heart (just stop being a pussy) while its always great to see Clark Gregg in anything, with him being on fine form here as Tom's boss at a greeting card company (loss of faith, no reason to live. This is perfect for you).
(500) is a clever feature as it employs several offbeat methods of telling its story, its non-linear narrative often juxtaposes events, to humorous results. Furthermore the use of narration, black and white cutscenes, split-screen, a clever musical number and an animated calendar all work remarkably well.
One of the main atrractions of this film is how it finds it heart and sense of humour, being that love can be amazing and it can be devastating but it is never as bad as you think it is, example, when Tom hears "she's like the wind" and screams "I hate this song!" resulting in him being kicked off a bus. We the audience have all been at that point and can see how funny it is to think we've acted like that.
Another bonus is the soundtrack, which is filled with little gems such as The Smiths, The Temper Trap, Mumm-Ra and Doves. The films own original score charmingly plays with the events on screen, being a simple note or two here, subtly emphasing the emotion.
4.5
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