(500) Days of Summer: Review By SCREENWRITER
Honey, I don't know how to tell you this, but, there is a Chinese family in our bathroom...
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OVERALL5.0SUPERB
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Feature
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Picture
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Sound
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Extras
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Replay Value
THE GOOD
Let's all face it. We've all had our share of dumping on both the receiving and offence line. Whether it's the bad lines we use like "It's not you, its me" or "I really wanna be just friends" tactic, people, from whatever line we're on, know that the excuses we use is absolute...bullsh*t. Equally, all of us (yes you) have faced and experience the feeling of what it is to be "dumped" and the complex emotions that come to follow afterwards. Unless your someone who has managed to escape the depths of relationships Hell, then you sir, are a lucky one. For the rest of you who have had their hearts stomped out, ripped out, and completely broken...this movie, is dedicated to you.
The film is presented in very quirky style that you grow to love immediately. The film rotates back and forth from different dates and its up to you to piece with stage in this relationship goes where. It may sound difficult to follow, but in fact, the idea and set-up of this Romantic-comedy is truly brilliant. The sea-saw back and forth method of the days successfully manages to engage the viewers and really bring them deeper into Tom's feelings, and the film.
The kudos goes to Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber whose flawless script manages to show the originality in such a simple plot that we've seen before. From the amazing dance number to the short-film of Tom's suffering, the two make an unbeatable team in creating one of the most amazing scripts in the Romantic-comedy genre.
The two leads Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel brings something quite special to the screen in their portrayals of Tom and Summer. Their awkward, realistic chemistry with one another is what really makes the movie a great watch. Mostly thankful to Neustradter and Weber's suburb dialog, both actors really seemed completely comfortable in their roles. Deschanel is sexy, carefree, and bound to be adored by males everywhere as her character, Summer. Levitt does a great job capturing the struggles of the "boy in love" with all his stages of emotional imbalance. No other two actors could have brought Summer and Tom to life as Levitt and Deschanel did.
"(500) Days of Summer" presents a relationship that is more realistic and less clichéd than most in the woefully unoriginal genre. I may be a sucker when it comes to the genre, but, never have I witnessed chemistry that clicks so perfectly before.
Marc Webb's first full-length film is one to be remembered forever. If you didn't know that fact before the film, you wouldn't even know he was a rookie for a full-length movie. Webb's incredible style shooting the film is something a Romantic-comedy never gets, but "(500) Days of Summer" couldn't have asked for a better director.
As warm and depressing as a summer day can be, that's pretty much the film. Its warm in a sense of making us want to go out and live in the moment like the character Summer does. The film's mixture of silliness and deep emotion helps it move along at an incredible pace. My favorite scene in the movie is when Tom's happiness causing him to break-out into a full-on dance-video that goes to include a happy little cartoon to make the audience smile. But, you won't just smile once at this film. This movie does an excellent job making the audience smile with its quirky little scenes. It makes it so different, and very, very touching.
As the film progresses, the central timeline which is told from Day 1 when Tom meets Summer, the story is told in a "what will happen now?" fashion. Thankfully, the last act of the film stays true to what makes the film so realistic without succ*mbing to predictable Hollywood stables that one should expect walking into a Romantic-comedy. One walks in, "Okay, so they'll fall in love. Have a fight. And then somehow get back together realizing the love they have for each other. So everything's cookies and milk, then, in the end." Well, with "(500) Days of Summer" you get the real deal, people. There isn't anything predictable about the movie and the question of what will happen between the two in the end is held above the entire time.
The film is presented in very quirky style that you grow to love immediately. The film rotates back and forth from different dates and its up to you to piece with stage in this relationship goes where. It may sound difficult to follow, but in fact, the idea and set-up of this Romantic-comedy is truly brilliant. The sea-saw back and forth method of the days successfully manages to engage the viewers and really bring them deeper into Tom's feelings, and the film.
The kudos goes to Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber whose flawless script manages to show the originality in such a simple plot that we've seen before. From the amazing dance number to the short-film of Tom's suffering, the two make an unbeatable team in creating one of the most amazing scripts in the Romantic-comedy genre.
The two leads Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel brings something quite special to the screen in their portrayals of Tom and Summer. Their awkward, realistic chemistry with one another is what really makes the movie a great watch. Mostly thankful to Neustradter and Weber's suburb dialog, both actors really seemed completely comfortable in their roles. Deschanel is sexy, carefree, and bound to be adored by males everywhere as her character, Summer. Levitt does a great job capturing the struggles of the "boy in love" with all his stages of emotional imbalance. No other two actors could have brought Summer and Tom to life as Levitt and Deschanel did.
"(500) Days of Summer" presents a relationship that is more realistic and less clichéd than most in the woefully unoriginal genre. I may be a sucker when it comes to the genre, but, never have I witnessed chemistry that clicks so perfectly before.
Marc Webb's first full-length film is one to be remembered forever. If you didn't know that fact before the film, you wouldn't even know he was a rookie for a full-length movie. Webb's incredible style shooting the film is something a Romantic-comedy never gets, but "(500) Days of Summer" couldn't have asked for a better director.
As warm and depressing as a summer day can be, that's pretty much the film. Its warm in a sense of making us want to go out and live in the moment like the character Summer does. The film's mixture of silliness and deep emotion helps it move along at an incredible pace. My favorite scene in the movie is when Tom's happiness causing him to break-out into a full-on dance-video that goes to include a happy little cartoon to make the audience smile. But, you won't just smile once at this film. This movie does an excellent job making the audience smile with its quirky little scenes. It makes it so different, and very, very touching.
As the film progresses, the central timeline which is told from Day 1 when Tom meets Summer, the story is told in a "what will happen now?" fashion. Thankfully, the last act of the film stays true to what makes the film so realistic without succ*mbing to predictable Hollywood stables that one should expect walking into a Romantic-comedy. One walks in, "Okay, so they'll fall in love. Have a fight. And then somehow get back together realizing the love they have for each other. So everything's cookies and milk, then, in the end." Well, with "(500) Days of Summer" you get the real deal, people. There isn't anything predictable about the movie and the question of what will happen between the two in the end is held above the entire time.
THE BAD
Bad? What bad? "(500) Days of Summer" is one of the best romantic-comedy's there is! It's sweet, hilarious, and heartbreaking. It isn't a film to be missed, it's a film to be treasured.
THE FEATURE
Tom is a man who lives to become an architect someday, but for right now, he's a greeting-card writer whose life is turned into a whirling loop when he meets and quickly falls for new girl Summer. As one who plays hard to get, Tom manages to get himself into a "casual relationship" that he feels will change over the course of time because of feelings. After some time, Tom starts to question their status with one another and it pulls a deep effect on whatever relationship they seem to have. "(500) Days of Summer" chronicles the bitter-sweet beginnings, the dreadful endings and all that mashed in stuff that seems to take place during a relationship that is unfortunately...not meant to be.
THE EXTRAS
The DVD offers commentary from Marc Webb and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and its worth watching the movie with that on.
THE VIDEO
Widescreen 2.40:1 Color .
THE AUDIO
English 5.1 Dolby Surround. Spanish and French Dolby Surround, as well.
THE PACKAGE
The packaging is a single-disc.
THE FINAL WORD
"(500) Days of Summer" is a Romantic-comedy with a new approach. What is original is not the indie mannerisms of this Sundance hit, but the fantastic references to hit bands like The Smiths, the dance-number, and the touch of magic that makes you truly care and feel for the characters. What a breath of fresh air this movie is. If you haven't yet seen this, and are looking for something that isn't a work of fiction at all, but for something you can actually relate to, well, this is for sure your movie.
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XxNickTheFilmCriticXx
@corey -- Oh, of course. I just figured you might've checked on it now and then. Regardless, I wanted to at least refer to you.
4 months agoby @XxNickTheFilmCriticXxFlag
Corey
@XxNickTheFilmCriticXx You tagged The Screenwriter? haha. You do realize this is my old account, right? :P
4 months agoby @coreyFlag
Dan
@XxNickTheFilmCriticXx I was laying it on thick in this comment section lol. I don't mind if you add it to a list, @moviegeek and others do that from time to time with epic discussions.
4 months agoby @dan1Flag
XxNickTheFilmCriticXx
@the-screenwriter @dan1 @cyn-de-harven @daveactor7 -- All of you have created the most intimate, hilarious, and intriguing comment column I have ever come across. I'd really like to add this to my 'Best Comment Section/Columns Ever" list, if you don't mind.
Oh, boy. Did I love reading every bit of this. MW changed big time - I never come across anything like this.
4 months agoby @XxNickTheFilmCriticXxFlag
SpaceCowboy
Damnit dude, I've been wanting to write a DVD review in this format for the longest time...another reason I have been distant from MovieWeb.
1 year agoby @SpaceCowboyFlag
Worth5Bucks
its a quite interesting format.
1 year agoby @mattbierwagenFlag
SCREENWRITER
I've never been offered to write a DVD review in this format. Cool!
1 year agoby @the-screenwriterFlag
SCREENWRITER
@Supes: Just stay strong, man. I'm no Doctor Phil, but we all deserve a happy ending if we try and fight off the darkness.
1 year agoby @the-screenwriterFlag
SCREENWRITER
@Supes: I believe we all have someone out there for us. Your 25, your life isn't even half way over yet.
@Cyn: I'm glad my review is bringing out the emotional side in all of us. Makes me realize how much we've all grown to become friends if we're telling life issues to people we've never actually met in person.
I'm only 19 and I hope I find the "one" one day. I'm not worried about it now. I believe in setting my life up with a good career before I find love, but, we can't actually choose when it finds us, right?
1 year agoby @the-screenwriterFlag
Dan
Generally. I mean, before the long, drawn out unhealthy relationship I had these same feelings and mood, and then afterwards it was only intensified. I find I cannot be happy, regardless of what is going on in my life or who I'm with. I'm very much like my dad (he's the exact same way).
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Cyn
LOL
I was going to say (poor Screeny, look what we've done to his lovely review - it's a mess in here now) that line about the chinese family makes me want to see this movie lol
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Cyn
@Supes. Generally? Or over a relationship? I hate to turn this review into a agony column, but exercise can help a LOT with depression type moods. And, yeah, St John's Wort is an okay solution to temporarily level out moods.
And we ALL have those kinds of years. I've felt like that on and off for a while, but my sh*tty previous mentioned situation is mostly responsible for that. Its getting to the point where I'm thinking of quitting my job (he works here too) and moving on just to get away from him.
In the end, it's all down to us.
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Dan
It's this f*cking movie, it brings out the softer, emotional Supes :P
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Dan
I'm sure. Honestly, I should prob be on medication though, or at least St. John's Wort. This past year has felt like I've only been existing, need to get my ass in gear soon. Just been so depressed...
Sorry @Screeny, for hijacking your review :P
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Cyn
Yeah. I can't say I recommend to any of my young male friends to 'play dad'.
The point is, you're only 25 - you can drop weight and still turn up proud to the recruiters office. You can do whatever it is you want to do.
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Dan
That 7 year span a f*ck load of things have occurred in my life, @Cyn. Family members have died, college, relationships, playing dad.
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Daveactor7
@Supes yeah lol @Cyn got a point there
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Cyn
LOL
@Supes - you're 25!!
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Daveactor7
Damn im worried lol
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Dan
Ah, to be 18 again. To erase all the bad memories and go with my friend to the recruiter like I should have done. I'd be chasing drug runners off the Caribbean right now had that been what I did and not been thinking with the wrong head. Instead I'm a slightly overweight, stereotypical security dude with issues. F*ck...
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Cyn
Wow. I don't even remember 18 lol...yeah, you got a looong way to go.
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Daveactor7
18 :P
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Cyn
How old are you, Dave? We all know Supes is 25...lol
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Daveactor7
Meh im young. I have a long way to go :/
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Dan
See, @Cyn and I see eye to eye :P
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Dan
Lol @Dave. I dunno, I can think of a few people that need to get their head stomped in on the curb before anyone gives them any love, the f*cking bastards (namely a previous employer of mine...).
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Cyn
No, Dave, some people are real arseholes who barely deserve a kick in the pants...LOL
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Daveactor7
@Cyn :( everyone deserves love
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Cyn
@Supes. Ouch lol. Yes, some of us are better living alone.
1 year agoby @cyn-de-harvenFlag
Dan
I agree with @Cyn. I know a few ultra fat people who I know will never be with someone until they decide to trim the f*ck down (sorry, hard reality). But seriously, some of us just seem utterly incompatible with others, even with the best intentions.
1 year agoby @dan1Flag