(500) Days of Summer

Plot synopsis:
(500) Days of Summer is presented in a non-chronological format, each scene being introduced by which of the 500 days it is. The plot as given here has been rearranged in chronological order. It is important to note cinematographically that the film opens with day 488, the scene where Tom and Summer are seated at a bench and the audience sees Summer's ringed finger as the two hold hands.Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works at a greeting card company as a card writer. He has a few friends and is seemingly happy with his life. One day at a meeting, Tom's boss (Clark Gregg) introduces the board room to Summer (Zooey Deschanel), his new assistant. He is immediately taken by Summer's beauty.Tom talks to his friends about how much he likes Summer. While at first he plays things cool, he is convinced she is "the one" after an exchange in the elevator over their mutual love of the Smiths. He spends two weeks pining over her and executing awkward attempts to initiate conversation, but can't hit a chord. An opportunity arises when Tom's best friend tells him that the entire office is going to a karaoke bar the following evening.Tom arrives at the bar as his best friend is singing. He sees Summer and she seems happy to see him. Summer goes up and sings while Tom drinks with his friend and watches Summer. Summer then gets Tom a little drunk and has him sing karaoke. Afterwards, the three sit together and talk about relationships and love, during which Tom and Summer argue over whether or not love is real, with Summer saying it isn't while Tom says it is. The two agree to disagree.While helping Tom's friend to a cab, Tom's friend blurts out that Tom likes Summer and the two are left on the sidewalk. Summer asks if it is true and Tom, after some coaxing from Summer, says that he likes her (but adds "as friends"). Summer calls him "very interesting" and leaves Tom standing there on the sidewalk. The next day at work, she kisses him in the copy room. Once Summer's copies are finished, she simply ignores Tom and leaves the copy room.Summer and Tom go out and have fun in the city. As they spend more time together, they become closer. Summer shares her most intimate thoughts and stories with him, while Tom takes her to his favorite spot in the city and tells her about how he was studying to become an architect before he ran out of money and was forced to work for the Card Company to sustain himself. As the two walk around Ikea, they joke about living as a married couple in the store's demonstration rooms, but as they're about to kiss on a bed in a store, Summer makes it clear that she isn't looking for anything serious.They return to Tom's bedroom and start to make out on his bed. He goes into the bathroom and convinces himself that it's just casual fun, reminding himself to just take it slow. As he walks out, however, he sees her lying naked on the bed. They presumably make love, although it is never shown.He walks out the next morning, dancing and upbeat. He's in love with Summer and on top of the world. After a singing and dancing scene, Tom arrives at work and starts suggesting high quality slogans for cards, all the while thinking of Summer.Things go well for a few weeks. However, one night in a bar, a random guy starts hitting on Summer. She makes it clear she isn't interested, but he won't believe she's with Tom. After taking some more insults, Tom stands up and punches the guy. He awkwardly smiles at Summer before the guy gets up and beats him down. She takes Tom to her apartment and yells at him since she thought he was not acting cool at all and did it for his own sense of self. Tom starts fighting back. He yells that everything they are doing isn't a friendship, and that even though she doesn't want to label things, he thinks that they're in a relationship because Summer isn't the only one who gets a say. He storms out.The two go to bed. Tom contemplates calling her, but doesn't. She comes to his apartment and apologizes. The two have a heart to heart and share their past relationships. She tells him about her bisexual experience, her first relationship and her relationship with "The Puma". The two seem happy.Weeks pass. Summer and Tom go out and see a film. She starts crying as she sees the ending of The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross escape a wedding and their looks of joy and excitement slowly vanish. Summer tells Tom that she's exhausted and wants to sleep, but Tom convinces her to go get pancakes with him. Whilst waiting for their order, Summer blurts out that she thinks they should stop seeing each other. Tom is taken aback and asks why if they were so happy. Summer says that she isn't happy. As the pancakes arrive, Tom stands up and leaves. Summer tells him not to leave because he is still her best friend.Tom's friends call his little sister, Rachel, who bikes to his apartment. Tom is upset and she makes him explain what happened. He recounts the break up. He is adamant that he doesn't want to get over her, but get her back. His depression worsens and begins to affect his work. His boss calls him in and he asks if Tom's performance is related to Summer leaving. Tom tries to play it off, but his boss tells him that everyone knows. It is made clear that Summer also quit her job at the card company.Months pass. One of Tom's co-workers is getting married. He takes the train to go to the wedding and sees Summer on the way to his seat. He tries to hide, but she sees him and approaches. They talk and go get a coffee. The entire weekend is spent together. At the wedding, he asks her to dance and they have a very romantic night together. She invites Tom to a party on at her place. Tom is hopeful.Tom's expectations for the night are to make his dreams a reality. However, as he arrives at the party, the differences between his dream night and that night are hauntingly apparent. He barely talks to Summer and finds comfort with the bottle. He then sees Summer showing off her ring and her fiance. Tom loses it. He leaves without a word, angry and hurt that Summer would treat him like this.Tom spends the next 2 days in a catatonic state. He leaves the apartment once to buy orange juice, Twinkies and Jack Daniel's. He eventually returns to work, just in time for the weekly presentations. His best friend reminds him that today is the day they present their pitches for new cards. Halfway through the presentation, Tom decides that his beliefs of love, fate, and relationships were wrong. He gives the board a passionate speech about how their company is comfortable feeding people lies and that they are the reason people have such unrealistic expectations. He quits and leaves. The board is left stunned as his best friend awkwardly claps at his friend's departure.Tom is seen struggling with his depression. He slowly begins to take steps to help himself. Rachel tells him that he should take a second look at Summer and Tom's relationship and stop ignoring the bad. He realizes that there was always something Summer was holding back and kept her from truly being "in" the relationship. He begins to take up architecture again. He trashes his apartment and begins drawing on the walls and designing. He slowly builds up a portfolio and makes a list of firms to present his work at. One by one he is rejected. Once the firms dwindle to a handful, Tom begins to lose hope.Tom goes to the bench at his favorite part of the city. He's gazing down at some of the buildings when Summer calls out to him. She compliments his looks and tells him she knows he's angry. She also tells him that she's happy to see he's doing alright. Tom confesses that he now realizes that all his ideas about love were wrong.Summer points out that they weren't. The girl who didn't want to be anyone's girlfriend was now someone's wife. She tells him that with her husband, she knew what she was never sure of with Tom: that she was in love with him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She also tells Tom that if there's no destiny, she might have easily never randomly met him in a deli. She tells Tom he was right, but just not about her. She holds his hand and squeezes before telling him that she needs to go. Tom tells her he's happy that she's happy, but makes a point not to congratulate her on her marriage. She smiles and leaves Tom.Tom is on his way to a job interview. As he sits there, waiting to be interviewed, a girl across the waiting room calls out to him and asks if they've met. She tells him that she's seen him sitting on a bench in Tom's favorite spot, which is coincidentally her favorite spot as well. Tom says he's never seen her before, so she replies he probably was not looking.Tom jokes that since she's the competition he hopes she doesn't get the job. She returns the wish. The interviewer calls Tom in, but as he's walking he turns back and asks the girl to get some coffee afterwards. She tells him that she is meeting someone. However, as Tom turns around, she agrees and says they'll work it out.Tom smiles and introduces himself. She smiles and introduces herself. Her name is Autumn.Then, on the screen, it reads "Day 1", signifying that this is the first day of his relationship with Autumn.

Tags: boring, depressing, stupid, cult, cute, magical realism, flashback, psychedelic, humor, inspiring, romantic, entertaining, home movie

Review:
Tom (Joseph-Gordon-Levitt) is a wanna-be architect turned professional greeting card writer whose life is thrown for a loop when he suddenly falls for the "new girl" Summer (Zooey Deschanel, Almost Famous).
As one who appeared most certainly unattainable at first glance, Tom manages to charm her into what she coins as a, "casual relationship." Eventually, Tom ends up questioning their status with one another, which manages to put strain on the relationship, causing her to request the dreaded "time apart." (500) Days of Summer chronicles the bitter sweet beginnings, the untimely endings and all of that confusing stuff that takes place during the in betweens of a relationship that just isn't meant to be.(500) Days of Summer is presented in an effective non-linear style that sets it apart from its romantic comedy predecessors, rotating back and forth between dates signified by a simple title card flashing in between scenes (2), (50), (150) and so on to represent the various days in the course of Toms roller coaster of a relationship.
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has his radar up for "the girl of his dreams" when he meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel).
The movie constantly reminds you that these are two different people with different ideas of a relationship, yet they stubbornly continue dating, and they remain lovable all the same.An omniscient narrator sets the film up early on by noting "this is not a love story." And, in a way, it isn't.
It just so happens (500) Days of Summer captures the sensation of falling in love better than most movies.For more of my reviews, visit indieethos.com.
The story is not in direct order as it goes back and forth from different days Tom remembers his life and relationship with Summer.
The writers quite skilfully enrich the film with one of the most immensely beautiful and original screenplays to come along in a while.Tom, a greeting-card writer with artistic dreams beyond his mundane job, meets Summer and quickly falls for her.
The film often shuffles between whimsy and realistic, but, rather than getting lost because of it, the story only seems to be enhanced due to the chaotically transitional moods.500 Days of Summer is a hilarious, deftly thoughtful film about love.
Still, we are so preconditioned by Hollywood, that directive merely floated around in my head until near the end of the film when I realized it was perfectly accurate.Joseph Gordon-Levit and Zooey Deschanel are the leads and each bring a certain quirkiness and sensitivity to their roles.
Oh, he also takes love advice from his 11 year old soccer-playing sister (Chloe Moretz), but wisely declines most of it from his best friend played by sexist, drunken (and funny) co-worker, Geoffrey Arend.What I really like about the film is that it is different, yet very realistic.
They said this movie wasn't going to be a love story, but that's simply not true cause I feel all warm and fuzzy after watching this flick.
How could you not love this movie, this a story about a guy named Tom who wants to be an architect but ends up working a meaningless job at a greeting card company creating romantical propaganda on paper.
In 500 amazing days Tom will learn about relationships, reconciliations (a good Ex never dies), Love, Lose and most importantly about moving forward.Now talk about great performances, this ones got two.
Joseph Gordon Levitt is so prime here, the chemistry between he and Zooey clicks perfectly and not only that but since every woman,man and child is in love with the knee bending powers of Ms. Deschanel it must be said that JGL gives such a strong performance that he clearly owns this movie all the way till the very end.
The other thing we got going on here is a killer soundtrack, built around some Smiths, Doves, and a few others, not mention the fact that once again we get a chance to hear Zooey Deschanel do a little karaoke in the movie which is a tasty little treat.Bottom line 500 Days is going to be on your mind in 2009 and chances are that like a good EX it will always pop back in your life and you'll dust if off and pop it in the player and go down memory lane remembering all good stuff, then like a swift punch in the gut like only a good EX can, it'll break your heart all over again.See it, believe it..
I found myself laughing out loud at many of the scenes, but the laughs in the theater were few, and I think most people would label this a drama with streaks of black comedy.The driving force behind what makes this movie work (beside the script) is Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen, who carries the movie on the basis of his physical comedy and acting ability.
JGL does have brief glimpses of true love with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) but it's clear she's not interested in anything permanent, just a good time.
I don't regularly comment on movies, but this has a personal accord with me.My girlfriend of one year broke up with me the day before I went to watch this film, as promised.That being said, Tom (Joseph Gordon Levit) embodies my apathy and frustration in every mannerism.
Probably because, as I and Tom have painfully learned, you can't teach or bequile someone as you would a child into doing love 'properly.' And sometimes, true love dies, and no sea of tears can change that.Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, is fun, beautiful and selfish.
The events in 500 days of Summer are predictable (and even the narrative device of jumping back and forth in time cannot conceal it), the relationship between the protagonists are completely superficial, and there is not even one single interesting scene or even detail in this film.
The film's plot concerns an employee for a greeting card company (Tom) who can't escape his previous relationship with a girl named Summer, played by the talented Zooey Deschanel.
Bits and pieces of their relationship are presented to the film viewer–out of sequence–as Tom tries to discover why everything fell apart, what he can do to get Summer back, and if love actually exists.
The only thing that carries this film is the sweet-natured hope of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character that he will find his love returned by Summer, aka (in his romantic mind) THE ONE.
But "(500) DAYS OF SUMMER" is clearly a guy's film because it delineates all the joys and sorrows of falling in love from one young man's perspective.
Seeing this, Summer (Deschanel), becomes emotional, surprising both herself and Tom. What happens in those few moments is at the heart of this film.
This film is about the mysterious relationship between a guy called Tom and his female friend called Summer.I have heard so many positive word of mouth about "(500) Days of Summer", so I was very disappointed during and after watching it.
Zoey Deschanel is very sweet and beautiful performing a hypocrite character and shows a great chemistry with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but the unexpected conclusion of their boring romance is totally disappointing.
Acting is fantastic, I loved both Zooey and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this film.
500 Days of Summer is such a film; it is so perfectly crafted in its writing, direction, acting, editing and other major departments that after seeing it one feels off kilter, wondering if they had seen a fictional movie (as the title cards read in the opening) or a portal in which the inner workings of a young man and his quest for true love was connected directly to the audience.
The dialogue feels completely accurate and true to the context of the situations of the characters, the situations themselves are real and totally believable and the nonlinear narrative works extremely well in bringing the audience not only into a deeper sympathy with the Joseph Gordon-Levitt character but also in convincing us that a number of these scenes may be dreams.
I would simply remark that life is quite often too sad, Summer is sympathetic in a much different way than most romantic-comedy girls and the ending rang true in the sense that Tom's journey isn't over.
Films like Adventureland and 500 Days of Summer show that with the right script and the right cast, a story can be told that is funny, sad, smart and completely, utterly, totally, indubitably: perfect..
When I watched 500 Days of Summer, during the first 20 or so minutes of the movie I thought I had a great find.
Instead, they got a movie that had nothing natural or convincing about it.The idea is, if you look beyond catchphrases and the music the characters listen to and the rest of "decorations", 500 Days of Summer is actually Twilight for hipsters.Hence the grade - 1 out of 10..
Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) start an office romance when Summer comes to LA from Michigan for an internship at a greeting card company.
But remember, this is not a love story, which is what makes 500 Days of Summer more realistic and poignant than what we have come to expect from the movies.
In contrast, the film also pays homage to a number of classic movies, including several clips and snippets, which feels out of place and doesn't quite fit.As currently constructed, 500 Days of Summer will get an R rating.
It really isn't.The script lacks even the slightest insight to how relationships really work, but still tries to have its cake by having the Tom character make a big speech at the end of the film about how movies and pop songs screw up everyone's expectations of what love is.I'll tell you what love isn't.
An emotionally stunted man-boy trying to have a relationship with a girl who is most likely has a borderline personality disorder.The film was not without it's charms, Gordon-Levitt was a very likable and engaging, the soundtrack was pleasant to listen to and the film had a handful of sitcom style "funny" lines.
I watched this film based on a recommendation- big disappointment.The basic plot- our loser protagonist (Joseph Gordon Levitt, who did an okay job considering he had to play a dull young man) is crazy about Summer (Zooey Deschanel, who is suitably kooky).
It's a bit like that clingy new kid who really wants you to like him and hang out and be cool together- but his attempts to be cool and kooky are so forced that the film becomes very strained.Attempts at kookiness include an 'alternative' soundtrack (so we think the film is quirky and alternative, despite it being formulaic and predictable), the play on Summer in the title (it's like a season but also her name, ha ha!) and the tagline ("This is not a love story-this is a story about love." Actually, it is a love story- just a rather dull one with lots of cod philosophy about love- cos he works in a greetings card company!
Tom is an optimistic believer in true love while Summer thinks relationships are a waste of time.
While the film can be depressing at times (especially when Tom seems to be given a second chance with Summer only to discover she's engaged), it does end on a hopeful note for Tom. The pain he went through with Summer forces him to re-evaluate his life and pursue his true love of architecture, which also leads to a possible new love interest.There's a real chemistry between Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt and the relationship is believable.
About the only bit of cleverness that works is a split scene sequence where, the first time Gordon-Levitt is meeting with Deschanel after their big break-up, his expectations play out in real time against what actually happens.
His life changes completely when a new Executive Assistant joins the office: Summer Finn (the beautiful Zooey Deschanel), and she's like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn.
What Tom does have is a great support system: two close buddies who care for him sincerely but have no clue how to handle this unhealthy situation, and a kid sister who happens to say all the right things.Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are perfect in this movie.
An utterly engaging bittersweet romance about a boy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a girl (Zooey Deschanel) who want different things from one another during the course of a gradually waning relationship.This is "Annie Hall" for the 21st Century.
Both actors give terrific performances -- Gordon-Levitt is proving himself to be one of our best up-and-coming actors, while Deschanel bravely gives us a heroine who we end up not really liking all that much.Despite some overly cute elements (the several scenes between Gordon-Levitt and his little sister, who gives him romantic advice during timeouts at her soccer game, for example), "(500) Days of Summer" feels one hundred times more authentic than the usual romantic comedy fare churned out by Hollywood.
Don't get me wrong, I love these kind of movies (more of an indie feel), but I never could call one of them a must-see, besides maybe Juno, but (500) Days of Summer surpasses that by far.
Even "Adventureland" from earlier this year, with its summer fling at an amusement park, feels more important somehow than this portrayal of half a billion corporate office 'romances' going on right now, maybe because it's predicated on the smoldering sexual energy of the leads instead of attempting to deal (and clumsily) with stuff like fate and true love and that.-the characters really, really are lacking in depth.
If you put the pieces back in chronological order, you have something not too amazing, something actually pretty dull, certainly not an hour and half's worth.The man, Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the woman, Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, are almost perfect.
500 Days Of Summer is a new comedy drama that examines and probes deep into your normal average romantic films and gives us it's own look at relationships and why they do sometimes work and why sometimes they don't.
They both offer up some of the most witty, human and realistic looks at love and relationships I have ever seen and both sets of films do so in a quirky and sometimes offbeat kind of way and also blends comedy into the mix to make things interesting.
"Summer" offers everything with a fresh and very indie plate, but one that tastes good as well.The story follows Tom (Joseph Gordon-Leavitt) who is a greeting card writer, and a talented one at that.
One day his boss gets a new assistant, Summer (Zooey Deschanel) who is sort of the typical indie girl (the only generic part of this film).
Not only does Gordon- Levitt pick movies that have more emphasis in being a good story than being heavily promoted, he is willing to play characters that don't necessarily make himself look like a superstar.
The two set out on a tentative relationship, undefined on her insistence, and the story follows the 500 days from when they first meet each other.Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom with a fantastic blend of awkward shyness and modest charm.
For this story to work, the audience has to fully believe in Tom and his budding relationship with Summer, and Gordon-Levitt makes that all possible.
The audience goes through the stages of their relationship and buys in to their ups and downs because it never feels like two Hollywood actors reading lines off a page, but rather two people actually sharing an experience.Marc Webb does an amazing job here, weaving together so many elements that could easily be jarring or alienating and instead turns it all into a brilliant mosaic of love in life.
But in our world, things like that don't happen - we've all been in relationships so we know for a fact, film romance is not ever applicable, and as a result, we don't learn anything, we don't grow by travelling these characters, we're just killing time.
This film is perfect!Acting,directing,scene,music,everything is perfect,and personally it relates to me a lot,I'm like a combination of Tom and summer,believe in fate and don't want be with someone who can't make me feel special.and just as the film says,There's always autumn after summer,I just love this film so much!.
This work also showed an excellent performance of Zooey Deschanel with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, couple who got an interesting chemistry in providing a novel with plenty of comedy and reality.
even though it featured a bit more song-montages than i'd like, Webb directed some fresh and amazing scenes, like the "expectation-reality" one.if you are looking for a romantic comedy to watch alone, or with your SO, for a light evening on the couch, look no further, summer and tom are here!.
In the end, I most definitely feel that everyone is either a Summer or a Tom, and sincerely hope people go out to see this film and embrace its magic in reality.
Film review: (500) days of Summer Directed by: Marc Webb Actors: Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who has a degree in Architecture and writes greeting cards falls in love at first sight for Summer (Zooey Deschanel), his new coworker and a girl who doesn't believe in true love.As time goes by, they start to know each other better and a romance begins.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen and Zooey Deschanel as Summer Finn - the main stars - are brilliant and their characters are realistic and convincing; such attitudes towards love, relationship, commitment etc.
The Film tells the story of Tom Hansen(Gordan Levitt)a trained architect who works as a writer at a greeting card company, Tom (a hopeless romantic) doesn't believe he will ever truly be happy (much like myself) until he meets the girl of his dreams or the one!
500 Days Of Summer is the best and most realistic version of the trials and tribulations of love that i have ever seen and anybody who has ever been in love will appreciate this film, 10 out of 10 from me Fantastic.This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront...