Movie Review: (500) Days of Summer

500 Days of Summer Movie Review: (500) Days of Summer

(500) Days of Summer could have turned out to be just another cutesy, hipster Indie pop movie, but it’s so much more than that. By turning cliches of romantic comedies on their ear, and by speaking with honesty and integrity about dating and finding love in modern America, it becomes something much more profound. Creative, funny, and touching, (500) Days of Summer is one of the best movies of the year so far. The stars (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) are perfectly matched and have amazing chemistry and charisma. JGL is one of the finest young actors in Hollywood today and Zooey Deschanel has finally found the perfect role to channel her singular, quirky-hot girl appeal. This low-budget gem was directed my music video guru Marc Webb, making his feature film debut, and he has a bright future ahead.

Levitt plays Tom Hansen, a “perfectly adequate and handsome” college grad who gets paid writing cheesy greeting cards and meets the love of his life after sharing a cute moment involving The Smiths and an elevator. Tom falls hard for the free-spirited Summer Finn (Deschanel) and the movie chronicles the ups and downs of their relationship as it zig-zags through all 500 days that the two have known each other. By showing both good times and bad, and playing with the notion of fate and coincedence, (500) Days of Summer becomes funnier and more moving as it goes along.

(500) Days of Summer is a real treat, and it’s great to see the movie playing out in wider release. This is the anti-blockbuster summer movie that hardcore movie buffs have been waiting for. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is looser and more charismatic than he’s been in years (he usually only does more intense dramas) and Zoeey Deschanel is a delightful mix of heartbreak and spunk as Summer. Marc Webb does a terrific job making the movie visually interesting and even the soundtrack is quite wonderful. All that, plus a catchy dance number that actually enhances the movie even further and leaves the audience with a smile. Go see (500) Days of Summer on a hot summer night, it’s the coolest independent movie of the summer.

Grade: A-

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