Don't wait 500 days to see this wonderful film, for it only takes one day to acclaim it as a great look at the perils of "true" love

Rating: 8/10 (8 September 2009)

Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) once dreamed of being an architect but he now works for a greeting card company in the City of Angels. He is also a firm believer in romance and soulmates. One day, his boss hires a new personal assistant, Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom is smitten from his very first glimpse at the dark-haired secretary. His friends and co-workers see his admiration almost immediately and tease him relentlessly but, fairly soon, Summer becomes friends with Tom. However, she makes it clear early on that she is only looking for a casual relationship, nothing serious. Nevertheless, Tom pursues a romance with the lovely Summer, for he believes he can convince her that they are meant to be a forever couple. They go shopping at Ikea together, hike up to their favorite lookout over the city, and see each other often. Tom thinks he has opened a floodgate when Summer actually has him over to her place. But, in a relationship where the level of attachment is so lopsided, can anything good result? This is a comical, sure-fire look at the heartache of unrequited love, one of the best ever. Tom is the epitome of all-consuming love generated toward someone who does not match his affections, not by far. But, its difficult to place blame on someone who makes his or her position known from the start. As the unlikely couple, Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are terrific and all of the lesser cast members are great as well. In addition, the film is inventive and clever, even mixing a bit of animation into the fabric of the movie. What a surprise and a delight this is! The costumes, scenes, script and production values are also very worthy and the direction is surefooted and smooth, a difficult feat when the timeline jumps from past to present and other places in-between at every turn. It only takes one day to acclaim this flick as a top film of 2009 and it would make a wonderful, cathartic view for anyone who has had their heart pulverized, even if its only been a matter of weeks, for the movie also offers seeds of romantic hope for the scorned. Therefore, don't wait 500 days for a watch but make plans for a showing now.