(500) Days of Summer

Movies are magical. They allow us to feel a myriad of emotions. They are funny and scary and action packed and depressing. They heart warming and heart breaking, sometimes at the same time. They make us think and let us escape. We can sometimes forget just how wonderful movies can be, especially after seeing GI Joe or Righteous Kill, but then there comes along a movie so great, that it reminds you of why you love cinema. (500) Days of Summer is one of these movies.

(500) takes a story that is relatable to everyone, the age old tale of boy meets girl and tells it in a fun, realistic, and original way. The story itself is by no means original or special, which makes how great the movie is all the more impressive. Had this movie been done differently, or been in the hands of another director, I suspect we would have nothing more than a run of the mill romantic comedy. Lucky for us, Marc Webb is the man behind the camera and he gives us a film that is anything but a fluff Hollywood rom-com.

In a movie all about the relationship between two characters, you need good performances. If that relationship doesn’t feel real, the whole movie falls apart (look at The Ugly Truth, The Proposal, or any other generic rom-com). Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel both deliver perfect performances. Gordon-Levitt is a great actor, one who could become the best actor of his generation (especially with Heath Ledger gone and Casey Affleck busy making rapper documentaries), and he shows his entire range in (500). We see him at his happiest and his saddest and everything in between. Not once does it ever feel like Gordo-Levitt is acting; he is always just living. Because he is so good and realistic, his emotional journey hits the audience that much harder as we feel like we are watching a real person.

Deschanel is also great. I’ve often mused as to why she is so famous, because her filmography does not denote that fame. The answer I get is that she’s cute, and she certainly is that, but she is also a very talented actress (although she hasn’t really played anyone other than herself). Like I said, her cuteness lends to her appeal, but she gives Summer life and personality. Had she just been looks, the movie would have failed. Instead, we get an equally full and believable character to stand opposite Gordon-Levitt’s Tom.

The rest cast is also superb, making up one of the best ensemble supporting casts in recent memory. Geoffrey Arend and Matthew Gary Gubler are both over the top hilarious and realistic as Gordon-Levitt’s best friends, but Chloe Moretz is the best non-couple character as Tom’s sister. It’s impressive that she is able to hold her own against Gordon-Levitt seeing as she is 11 years old (that being said, Gordon-Levitt isn’t an overbearing presence), but she also provides a perspective that is outside of the couple. They all float in and out but make the most with the screen time they are given and really make the movie feel whole.

The movie would have been enjoyable and very good just with the characters and their arcs, but it is more than that. Telling the movie is a non-linear fashion really adds to the overall enjoyment. By showing the movie mostly in order and then choosing when to weave in the flash-fowards, certain scenes are accented and given a much stronger emotional punch. Most of the movie is shot in a non-destinct manner, but Webb thows in some very beautiful and potent shots throughout the movie.

The overall tone of the movie is just fun. The voice over narration harkens back to an older time and helps add humor and insight to the movie when it is used. The humor in the movie is bountiful and organic. The jokes don’t always make you laugh, but it will make you smile. There wasn’t a line that was meant to be humorous that falls flat, which is a rarity. On the subject of fun, there is a 3 minute sequence involving dancing that could be my favorite scene of the year. I had a gigantic smile on my face the entire time.

There are also the emotional moments, which actually work better due to their extreme contrast to the humor and other light-hearted aspect of the movie. This is one of the most real representations of relationships to captured on film. You fully believe they are a couple the entire time. What really makes the movie great is how it uses this one relationship to make commentaries on relationships in general, but does so in a way that doesn’t feel forced. These commentaries arise from the characters and their actions and yet everyone in the audience connects to what is happening.

I had to think long and hard about what I’m about to say, because Star Trekwas a great movie, and I don’t want to see like I’m copying everyone else, but I can’t help it. (500) Days of Summer is the best movie of the year so far. I really don’t think it could have been better. It is superbly acted, written, and directed. It is everything I want out of a trip to the movies. It is funny, sad, fun, heartwarming, and makes great points on love and relationships. I love this movie so much that I will go as far to say that if you don’t love this movie, you must not have a heart.