Cleverly composed writing; execution a bit shaky

Rating: 6/10 (30 December 2009)

A self absorbed greeting card writer thinks he's found "The One," a newly hired co-worker. She's a non-committal type, who "doesn't believe in love," yet paradoxically flirts with him aggressively. More than flirts, sparking a weird and rocky relationship. Artistically, this lays a great foundation for an amusing, offbeat tale. Not quite a romance story (even though a relationship is at the center of the story), but more a character study with optimistic and pessimistic beliefs colliding.
Zooey Deschanel's portrayal of the flighty Summer is spot on. Her eye expressions and carefree delivery of lines convey the once-hurt-twice-apathetic attitude remarkably well. She commands the screen every time she is there, and her complex character's insulated insecurity seeps out in perfect measure for the audience to understand. She's blurry on what she wants from life, but she's brutally honest. She appears oblivious to her inadvertently hurtful behavior.
The guy playing Tom weakens the film. He ineptly attempts a dull ripoff of an early Dustin Hoffman role. He has the knotted, sweaty hair, all right, but not the acting talent. His bombastic approach makes the character inaccessible, unsympathetic, and irritating. No convincing chemistry with the female lead, or anybody else in the cast, for that matter. Tom's a Loser (with a capital L for emphasis), and goes obsessive emo-psycho. For the sake of both the movie and the audience, I wished somebody would smash those dishes over his head. No such luck: instead, we get the tiresome cliché of a precocious wise-cracking 12 year old giving advice. At least she's a good actress, something that cannot be said for Tom's two annoying side kick buddies. They reminded me of two talking Beevis and Butthead dolls that need their batteries replaced. Or their brains replaced.
Characters are always in theaters, one of many metaphors launched like a missile attack. Some of the metaphors work, but this overindulgence lacks purpose or comedic finesse. It seems the whole thing is attempting an amalgamation of stuff "borrowed" from the movie industry in general. "Self analysis" dialog (a la Woody Allen) is humorous but overused. The director has a music video background, and it shows with the intrusive soundtrack. Also, expect music video staples such as overly expressive acting, sultry close-ups, black-and-white imagery, and split screen vignettes.
The non-linear construction of the story telling is a narrative style obviously beyond this director's capacity. Instead of using dialog to establish the time line, he amateurishly resorts to "day number" captions. The setting of a greeting card company offered a treasure trove of one-liners, plus a great battlefield for the story's whole dynamic. Some of this potential is utilized, some squandered. The film settles for a predictable outcome, with no surprise whatsoever.
In summary: thoughtful idea, cleverly written, but with some flaws in execution. It's entertaining enough to warrant a viewing, and has a thought provoking message to consider.