"Color my life with the chaos of trouble."

Rating: 10/10 (16 March 2014)

As a male who watched romance movies from time to time with no shame, I was caught off guard when I initially watched this movie. The genre this movie is categorized in are called "chick flicks", but (500) Days of Summer is a "dude flick". The movie displays how it feels to fall in love and be heartbroken from a male's perspective. From the start of the movie to the end, (500) Days of Summer, directed by Marc Webb, is a new fresh breath of romance film.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom Hansen, who is a greeting card writer working in New Jersey. He falls in love with his newly hired co-worker, Summer Finn (played by Zooey Deschanel), while Summer just falls "in like" back. Tom manages to convince her to be in a "more-than-friends- but-not" relationship, initiating the "500 Day of Summer". The 500 days sets off with all the upsides a young relationship can entail: feelings of happiness, butterflies, etc. as seen in Tom's musical act to the Hall & Oats song "You Make My Dreams" showing how one feels like they're on top of the world. However, soon enough their relationship turns into turmoil as Summer's interest in Tom wears off. Thus starts Tom's journey of great depression, heartbreak and effort to win Summer's feelings back. "This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story." While the movie proclaims itself as not a love story, it clearly is. Just not the one an audience would expect. Had (500) Days of Summer been another romance movie, the movie would have ended with Summer realizing she actually feels lonely and sad without Tom in her life, runs back into Tom's arms and admits her mutual love for him and they both live happily ever afterbut it's not just another romantic movie. Much like a Taylor Swift break-up song, it is a movie that the audience can relate to. (500) Days of Summer will undoubtedly make one nostalgic about the good, the bad, the ugly in past relationships, but in return will provide an arm around the shoulder to comfort them that they're not alone.
With his charismatic smile, cheeky optimism and genuine sorrow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes it easier for us to sympathize with his character. Zooey Deschanel plays her usual roles in movie as the charming free- spirit, but with a little stone cold twist. Her emotionless expressions towards the latter of their relationship leave much to be desired by Gordon-Levitt's character. Gordon-Levitt reacts on point in harmony with Zooey Deschanel.
(500) Days of Summer have become one my top two favorite movies and I would give it a ten out of ten. It's original, avoiding the stereotypes of cliché romance films, great chemistry between the two actors and an amazing storyline. If I had to say something bad about this movie, it would be the predictability of the ending of the movie, but it was a great ending nonetheless. This would make a great addition to the pound of ice cream, chocolate and tissues for a female friend who is going through a heartbreak or just a fun movie to watch whenever.