Young romance at its best

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2012)

Bittersweet story about young romance. Young people can fall head over heel for a perfect stranger. Probably it is the hormones and lack of experience coupled with expectations too high. Of course, falling for someone does not guarantee your love will be reciprocated. This is what happens to Tom, a romantic boy, slightly disconnected from reality, who thinks he met the "one" only to find out she was not. The "wrong" girl is Summer who - allegedly - does not believe in love, but in practice might be just looking for Mr Right.
The story is told in non-linear fashion, which for once enhances the quirky narrative. However, we can easily reconstruct the story, from the day they met - Tom filled with romantic and naive expectations, Summer disconnected from her feelings. When Tom and Summer get together, she feels "happy" and finds him "funny", but he is convinced she is Ms Right (no explanation is given about the reason of Tom's obsession that Summer is the "one").
Things fall apart quite abruptly, when Summer gets in a bad mood and dumps Tom after having watched "The Graduate" together. Summer seems a selfish, immature girl who has no clue about what she wants. She lies to herself and to others. Rather than intentionally evil, she just seems frivolous and uncaring, pursuing her own happiness and disregarding whoever does not satisfy criteria she cannot even define.
Tom seems to be a naive victim of literature and music about romantic love. The concept of the "one" seems to be a torture device for American audiences, who need to be constantly reassured that such a person actually exists. Unfortunate, romantic concepts are purely fictional. Long-lasting relationships are based on more solid ground than physical attraction and common interests ("We both like Magritte and Hopper" gushes Tom enthusiastically, as if this is further proof that Summer is his twin soul).
This comedy deals with emotional matters so important for the young in the most charming way and the script, editing and soundtrack are absolutely brilliant.