A More "Realistic" Romantic Comdey

Rating: 8/10 (19 July 2009)

I went into the film expecting a slightly above average romantic comedy, what I got was a pleasantly surprising re-evaluation of the classic pop-culture take on love. In "(500) Days of Summer" Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) takes on the role of the romantic one in the relationship, with Summer, played expertly by Zooey Deschanel. Her nuanced performance combine well with the way the film is edited. The film's non-linear narrative helps to keep the viewers interest as well as to contrast Tom's life before, during, and after his relationship with Summer. The audience sees, as Tom himself pieces it together, how Summer distanced herself from Tom in subtle ways that the film revisits and thus emphasizes. I can't help but compare the film to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", for the two are both romantic comedies told out of chronological order. Although, (500)DoS is less extreme in its distortion of time to organize its plot. Solid writing, acting, and editing make (500) DoS a step above your typical Romantic Comedy, and one that I recommend.