Completely Entertaining

Rating: 10/10 (25 July 2009)

I've made a habit of writing my more recent reviews only on films that I truly enjoyed. Why not? What's the point of clouding the airwaves with my attempts at rationalizing why a movie sucked? It's not hard, however, to rationalize why "(500) Days of Summer" was a fantastic movie: it was bold, different, and completely entertaining. THE DIRECTOR: Brashly and uniquely told through the eyes of relatively green music video director Marc Webb, the plot continuously jumps through the 500 days of Tom and Summer's relationship. Webb uses a smörgåsbord of directorial techniques, from split-screens to musical numbers, all beautifully meshing together to tell one surprisingly cohesive story. All of your questions are eventually answered, a beautiful parallel between lives is drawn, and you leave the theater entirely satisfied. THE LEAD PLAYERS: Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt have fantastic chemistry, apparently developed off the set according to Fox Searchlight. Additionally, Gordon-Levitt's charming and off-beat buddies provide comic relief and context throughout the twists and turns of an extremely realistic relationship. THE BIG PICTURE: "(500) Days of Summer" is a movie whose intention is to have you watching from between your fingers one minute, and laughing aloud with your friends the next. You support the characters, you pity them, and if you've ever been in a relationship, you certainly identify with them. Enjoy this movie with a date as I did, it will not only renew your sense of true love and destiny, but also raise your spirits in a lackluster summer of movies.