500 days of falling in love and getting your heart broken

Rating: Null/10 (8 December 2009)

Marc Webb's '(500) Days of Summer' is an intriguing analysis of the effect of a breakup on a young man, Tom Hansen. There have been many films on breakups but this film has a whimsical rhythm to it and isn't overly polished or saccharine.
However, I missed that it didn't focus much on Summer. She inadvertently appears as the 'bad guy' because all we see of her is how well she's doing after the breakup. Nothing about her own struggles or conflicts is even mentioned. This is understandable since the narration was from Tom's point of view but I would have liked to see Summer's perspective as well. Another flaw was the sequences with Tom's little sister. This really takes away from the character because does a smart guy like him really need a little a twelve year old's advice (whose ideas are most likely based on the movies she has seen)? I suppose this was meant to be charming but it failed to work for me.
The soundtrack is a good fit, with an interesting set of songs that fit well with the situations. The choice of locations are impressive too. Joseph Gordon-Levitt carries the film. It's been a while since I've seen his movies (where he plays a lead role) but he proves again what a capable actor he is. The incredibly beautiful Zooey Deschanel plays Summer naturally. She's charming, spirited, vivacious and energetic. Both Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt share wonderful chemistry. The supporting cast do well too.
Overall, '(500) Days of Summer' is a likable movie. The characters you meet are real rather than the stereotypical guy and girl one has so often witnessed in cinema. One is very likely to recognize Summer and Tom either as themselves or someone they have known. Further, there are some great lines that highlight the humour and contribute to the whimsy.