A summer breeze

Rating: 7/10 (16 August 2009)

Love and romance sometimes don't turn the way one had hoped for. Tom Hansen, the young man at the center of the story warns us from the start this is not "a love story". His relationship with the beautiful Summer Finn, who is an assistant to his boss at a greeting card company, is told in not linear fashion, perhaps to make the viewer concentrate in the nuances of their romance.
Summer is a free spirited soul not into conventions. Tom is a more serious person, more grounded. The attraction between them is real, as we witness them at their happiest moments, or at other periods where they have disagreements. Summer, who obviously likes Tom, is the one that makes the initial contact after seeing him around the office. As it turns out, they both love the same kind of music, The Smiths, which she sings badly. Her favorite Beatle is Ringo Starr.
How could it be possible for these two not to stay together? Like in life, not everything is perfect, so Tom and Summer, who on the surface seemed to have found a common ground, end up going in different directions to our amazement.
This sunny comedy directed by Marc Webb is one of the best reasons for escaping the summer heat to be in good company. Mr. Webb story works differently than many of this genre by presenting the material in a whimsical fashion and not falling into the pattern most other romances take to be on the safe side. Mr. Webb had a good screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber who give the film a light touch for the viewer's enjoyment.
The pairing of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who usually can be seen in more serious work, and Zooey Deschanel, paid off well. Their chemistry as the lovers at the middle of this tale is amazing because each complements the other big time.