A Romance Story That Dudes Can Actually Enjoy Watching

Rating: 9/10 (7 June 2012)

As a guy and movie lover, I view romantic films as a waste of time and a film genre that I'll never touch. Following a typical cliché that combines with an uninteresting tale of boy meets girl or the other way around that is overused and uninteresting. However, what separates this film with other romantic stories is the realistic take of a boy meets girl and presents this in a manner where even a guy like me can enjoy.
While this movie is not exactly a break-up film or the typical romantic comedy film, I really liked the story of this film. As said earlier, It is a simple boy meets girl that portrays this in a realistic manner that shows the highs of being in a relationship and the lows of being dumped or separated from your love. What helped boost the story and fascinating was the storytelling. In easier terms, the film presents a yin-yang type of storytelling; one moment you will see Tom filled with joy and enjoying life as he is with Summer, then the story will jump to a different time where Tom is depressed, then the film repeats this process. Watching this is never annoying and succeeds in telling a good story, making it compelling.
Every actor and actress were perfectly well casted and portrayed their characters very well. Every character, especially the minor characters have at least something funny to present. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom and Zooey Deschanel as Summer were great. You can definitely buy the chemistry between these two as you watch their relationship bloom as they are together. I like the fact that the director didn't make Tom the ultimate good guy, making you question his actions that led him to this situation. The beginning will make you think that Summer is evil, but as you watch the film, you begin to realize the flaws and mistakes that Tom had made and will understand the reason of the breakup.
What surprised me most about the movie was the humor since I found myself laughing throughout various moments in the film. There are conversations, interactions and dialogue between the characters that succeeds in bringing laughter to anyone who enjoys the plot. Although you do not see them a lot, personally, Tom's friends really helped bring the humor to some scenes. They were never annoying, didn't outshine any of the cast and were great as you see them on screen. Their conversations really reminds me of my discussion with my best friend that leads up to answers and conclusions that is similar to what these characters say in the film; may sound weird, but it worked for me.
In the end, I ended up liking this film more than I expected. Bringing a realistic take on romance and to present it with good humor, great acting and likable characters really made this film fun to watch.