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(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Director: Marc Webb

Time Out rating

Average user rating

18 reviews

Synopsis

A romantic drama with a real-world twist, as Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s young idealist optimistically woos the cynical, troubled Zooey Deschanel.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Where did it all go wrong? One minute you’re in love, the next it’s all over. In this rom-com-as-postmortem, greeting-card writer Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) tries to pinpoint the key moments in his ill-fated liaison with co-worker Summer (Zooey Deschanel), as the movie toggles hither and thither across individually numbered days in lieu of a familiar linear trajectory. When a stentorian omniscient voiceover announces that ‘this is not a love story’, it’s easy to figure we’re in for another dose of smugly hermetic US indie-cool, yet no matter how clever-clever Marc Webb’s film gets (and it does), it never overwhelms the subtle registration of this young man’s bitter yet enriching learning curve – it takes a broken heart to shatter our youthful illusions about love and prepare us for clear-eyed, grown-up romance.

Gordon-Levitt and Ms Deschanel are simply ideal as these bright young things: he always suggests that fires are burning beneath that deadpan wit and forbidding exterior, while she does the combination of pixie-ish Lorelei and withholding emotional sphinx to a tee. Their workplace affair is certainly believable, though perhaps the problem with Scott Neustader and Michael H Weber’s otherwise peppy script is that it relies on a shared nexus of pop culture references (The Smiths, perhaps inevitably) in lieu of individual chemistry, and flings in smart pastiche (Gallic art-movie torpor, a colourful Demy-esque dance number) when it might have delivered more authentic passion. So, if it just misses being this generation’s ‘Annie Hall’, it’s still deliciously refreshing, sweet and fizzy. A sherbet dip of a movie.

Author: Trevor Johnston 2009-09-01 10:12:08

Time Out London Issue 2037: 3 - 9 September, 2009

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User reviews of this film

usman khawaja said...

Posted on Oct 23 2009 14:37 LEVITT IS A GOOD ACTOR -he is a simple looking ordinary yank but he is a natural and he was credible as the confused lead who has no idea of what he wants though the movie is under-edited and over written at times -still it is worth watching -it could have been more sophisticated and concise too instead of going to and fro in the 500 days following the la vie en rose narrative -i hope this is not going to become a trend as it is neither original nor pleasant

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Sara said...

Posted on Oct 19 2009 16:44 TOTALLY BRILLIANT!!!!!!

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Brockley Sarah said...

Posted on Oct 04 2009 16:43 This is a marvelous and thoroughly enjoyable film. It's mostly funny in a make you smile kind of way but a couple of times I laughed out loud. It's not a saccharine sweet romk-com so if you go looking for a stereotype rom-com it might not be for you. It's intelligent and wity and I heartily recommend it. No idea why there are so many negative reviews here. Would definitely see again when it comes to DVD.

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sharon said...

Posted on Sep 27 2009 22:08 wow this was the most boring film i have ever seen i was ready to walk after sitting through to the end i wish i had,i looked at other peoples reviews of this film and cant believe i was watching the same film its rubbish slow moving and frankly boring give it a miss

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lucy1sally1 said...

Posted on Sep 20 2009 06:05 Not sure where the Annie Hall comparisons come from. The film this reminded me of was Gregory's Girl, but whereas that film was laugh out loud funny, this is only mildly amusing.

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Paul said...

Posted on Sep 16 2009 21:05 Went to see it today, it was the only film that finished before 2.30pm as we had to pick the kids up from school. What can I say except from crap. I love a good film including rom coms. There were 6 people in the cinema including us, 2 walked out after half an hour. My wife wanted to walk, but I was determined to stick it out. Good job it was orange Wednesday so only cost £6.50 for both of us. We couldn't wait for it to end. Only wish I could rate it zero stars but have to give it a minimum of 1 so it is recorded

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AB said...

Posted on Sep 15 2009 09:11 This is one of the n icest films I have sen in a VERY long time, it looks good, if feels god, the acting is spot on and it avoids cliches.
It's refershing to see it from a man's point of view and that fr once the lady isn't teh one ending up crying for her lost ove. Not a lot happens action wise, but its a modern tale of love and young expectations.
It's quirky but not annoying, fun but not dumb, and full of lovely visual touch. I highly recommend it.

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lol said...

Posted on Sep 12 2009 15:27 crapcrapcrap film dont see it. i wish i didnt.

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Sally Acott said...

Posted on Sep 11 2009 14:16 What a waste of time watching this mawkish film was and certainly a waste of the talent of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The premise seems to be that he's hopelessly smitten while she is cynical, damaged and unwilling to commit. It turns out though that what she was waiting for was "love" which turned up one fine day out of the blue (I use these cliches advisedly). In next to no time, she is flashing a diamond sparkler, then married (in about 5 minutes since meeting her true love of a husband) and her distraught ex falls into a pit of loathing self-pity. Frankly, I thought he had a lucky escape.

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giraffe said...

Posted on Sep 10 2009 13:13 Can sum1 pleese tell me if this film is gd cos am might b goin 2 c it at the weekend?

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lucy sheridan said...

Posted on Sep 07 2009 11:55 This film was a disgrace. A film predicated on the female character not wanting a serious relationship; what a fantastic idea, a reversal of traditional gender roles in romantic comedy. Except it isn't; in the end this film puts everybody neatly back into their boxes in the most depressing sell out I have ever encountered in the cinema. There is a complete absence of humour, none of the scenes are long enough or any of the characters developed enough to allow for anything approaching comedy. In fact, I found this film depressing in its representation of love as a shared interest in bands, vintage clothing and kooky behavior. This film fails for the same reason the relationship fails, because it is so resolutely in love with itself to preclude any truth or real emotional interaction. I am disgusted that this underwritten, flaccid, offensive, lazy, corporate engire was worthy of 5 stars. Time Out should be ashamed of itself for rewarding this joke of a film. I can only conclude that your reviewer has not seen Annie Hall.

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Marsellus said...

Posted on Sep 07 2009 09:43 All these comparisons to Annie Hall are detracting from how great the film actually is. (500) Days of Summer is a great film and quite a realistic approach to romance and relationships in the face of other rom-coms around nowadays. That's not to say the film is depressing or boring though. It has a true wit, humour and depth and the two leads have great and believable chemistry with one another. I like this film so much that I will actually go watch it again at the cinema.

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Smartster said...

Posted on Sep 06 2009 22:21 I can't understand hoe anyone can fail to enjoy this film! The script, direction and casting are all spot-on. it's a real treat from start to finish. (Unlike Broken Embraces - a huge disappointment by Almodovar's standards...)

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JJ said...

Posted on Sep 06 2009 08:22 Enjoying this film is dependent on you finding the leads charming: their appeal wore thin pretty quickly for me, All its best ideas are ripped off from other films, and it projects an overwhelmingly smug 'oh-we're-so-hip-it-hurts' tone. It certainly can't hold a candle to something of the wit, laugh-out-loud humour and insight of Annie Hall - why anyone makes such a comparison is beyond me. A few Nouvelle Vague references do not a classic make!

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_Matt_1977_ said...

Posted on Sep 03 2009 22:10 A well-executed, well-acted and all-round perfectly reasonable drama, this film presents a nice, even insightful portrayal of the two central characters. Ultimately, though, for me it was a bit of a non-event. Comedy when it did happen was effective, but it was only an occasional feature. The non-linear presentation was gimmicky and tiresome. In all honesty there were moments about half way through the film when I felt it was going nowhere, but it picked up a little momentum nearer the end (though still not much).
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I would like to register some disappointment at the description of this sort of offering as a romantic comedy or any sort of comedy for that matter. A fair few moments of genuine humour spread out over the course of a drama do not turn it into a comedy. This film is a drama with humour, not a comedy.

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