Works until the very end

Rating: 7/10 (23 July 2009)

"(500) Days of Summer" is cleverly contrived, and at times very funny. The performances by the two leads are believable, concise and motivated. But despite a dependable build up of sharp characterization and witty exchanges, the conclusion is somewhat dishonest in the way it presents Zooey Deschanel's Summer.
She's an independent, subdued woman, very pretty yet her eyes are hollow and almost condescending. She dates Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) but makes it clear to him that she just wants a casual tryst. He understands, but of course starts falling for her. In no time at all he's making complicated reasons why she should be with him. She let's him know numerous occasions that she doesn't believe in true romance.
This is all fine- a profound homage to 1970s romanticism when Diane Keaton and Glenda Jackson could be outspoken role models for their audiences. However, the ending is then a 360 degree mess- when (Spoiler) Summer meets up with Tom months later, only to be a married woman to some guy she met in a coffee shop. What gives? Wasn't she someone not into the love scene? She tells him it just happened, but like him we are confused and tired out from her reasoning.
"(500) Days of Summer" is a breath of fresh air to film enthusiasts like me who love to see a storyline finally build in realism with people and relationships vs. cheap beer parties and Megan Fox taking her top off. But the screenwriter obviously needs to still give us a little more insight into why Summer's character aloofly refuses Tom, but accepts some minuscule nobody we never even get to see.