Different, quirky, real and honest

Rating: 6/10 (2 January 2010)

I won't attempt to outdo some of the excellent reviewers on this site. But, for the record, it seems to me this is more of a "coming-of-age" story than a love story. Perhaps I just have yet to accept Mr. Gordon-Levitt as an adult. (He was 26 when this film was in production and still appears so damn youthful.) Whatever... he delivers a near-perfect performance as the wanna-be architect turned greeting card designer. (Makes sense in this current economy.) Falling in love with co-worker, Summer, the screenplay bounces back and forth over a 500-day period of their friendship/love story mainly from Tom's (Gordon-Levitt) point of view. Summer Finn's intense self-center absorption captivates Tom to near crazed, self-destructiveness. Ms. Zooey Dechannel's portrayal is good, but most scenes are carried by Gordon-Levitt. I imagine the part of Summer being played better by a score of actresses and perhaps the director intended this rather uneven pairing.
I think many of us will identify with these characters. The rather young, lost, soul-searching young male falling for the girl/woman "wild-child" beauty of a Summer Finn. Most likely during a college romance - not in one's mid-20's - but our world is an ever changing social order. The new 50 is now 40 and so on, and so on.
If for nothing else the film is worth your time and thought. Again, kudos to Joseph Gordon-Levitt.