(500) Days of Summer brings ups and downs of love to DVD
Posted by The Skyliner on February 17th, 2010Rachel Ham
Staff Writer
Earning high praise at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, Fox Searchlight’s (500) Days of Summer is a clever, witty story about the ups and down of love. As the opening monologue tells us, this is the story of boy meets girl, but it is not your typical love story.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun, 10 Things I Hate about You) and Zooey Deschanel (Elf) star in this comedy that offers a refreshingly real, sometimes painful look at the modern-day concepts of love and relationships.
Tom Hansen (Gordon-Levitt) works as a writer for a greeting card company, although he studied architecture in college. While going about his daily life, he is smitten the first time he sees Summer (Deschanel) when she begins her new job at the card company. Much of the plot is told from Tom’s point of view as he receives advice from friends on how to pursue a relationship with her. This male perspective offers a refreshingly different take from conventional romantic films.
Tom and Summer enter into their relationship with very different views on love. From the beginning Summer denies that love as most people believe it even exists, while Tom is sure that fairytale romances are possible. Tom is seeking a happy ending; Summer is not.
Even though Summer clearly states that she is not looking for a serious relationship, Tom falls hard for her. When they inevitably part ways, Tom is left hurt and confused. After being apart for some time, they see each other at a co-worker’s wedding. Tom has hopes that they can rekindle their relationship when Summer invites him to a party. When the evening does not go as he planned, he is wounded all over again.
He unleashes his frustrations about love at a staff meeting. “People should be able to say how they feel,” he laments. He is fed up with being sucked into pop culture’s version of love. (500) Days of Summer portrays the kind of honesty Tom wanted in the world. While it is a story about love, it is truly not a love story.
Deschanel is perfect in the part of the unconventional Summer. Gordon-Levitt is equally suited to his role and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe. Deschanel also lends her voice to the soundtrack as a member of the alternative group She & Him. Marc Webb makes his directorial debut with this film and moviegoers are sure to see many more great films from him in the future.
(500) Days of Summer is now available on DVD and features nine extended scenes along with commentary from director Marc Webb. Additional commentary, conversations with the movie’s stars, and a fun music video, “Bank Dance,” with Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are extras exclusive to the Blu-ray version.
(500) Days) of Summer is rated PG-13 for sexuality and language.
Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 4