Frustrating, yet Intriguing

Rating: 9/10 (25 August 2009)

After finishing (500) days of summer, I originally left the movie theater with a bad taste in my mouth. However, the more I thought about it, the more intriguing this movie became.
Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's on screen back-and-forth relationship is the most believable chemistry I have seen by two people in any movie in recent years. Towards the end, the expectations in the audience are high that they'll end up together, and the fact that they don't may disappoint some, but it adds to the reality of the film.
Tom's frustration over Summer is a feeling that many have felt throughout their lives when their hearts are crushed for reasons beyond them. The writing is smart, the plot is gripping, and Marc Webb's directing is fantastically original. (especially in the split screen "expectation" scene) This is one of those movies where you leave the theater and talk about it, then go bed, and think about it, then wake up, and think about it. It sticks with you for days, and will have you rethink the traditional romantic comedy style that has been so cliché in recent years.