After a long day of shooting a film, a friend and I decided to catch the night's last screening of the film "(500) Days of Summer," a flick that has caught a lot of attention within the independent film community. It is a film about love, but not a romantic film. It is also one of the best films to come out this summer.
The film recalls a holiday card writer's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) romantic connection to an office assistant (Zooey Deschanel). It weaves in and out of timelines, using a pitch perfect non-linear structure, because who really remembers a relationship in chronological order? You pick the good memories and remember which made your heart leap the most. You shut out bad memories, yet try to find what went wrong. This film does this to a point, but it stops before the edge of confusion. The main points are in chronological order, but they all need be taken in the same.
Zooey Deschanel shines in the film. She isn't the main character, but for a film about a woman who wants no relationship to hold her down, she is perfect. Her eyes and demeanor have a brilliant independence about her that she seems to not even be acting; she becomes Summer Finn. She never tries to be cold-hearted, but her eyes carry the aloofness that the role requires.
That's not saying that Joseph Gordon-Levitt doesn't ascend to great heights of top billing. His hip, cool guy who knows it all about the modern relationship compliments Deschanel very well. His natural ability carries the film because of his immersion in the role of Tom Hansen, the aspiring architect stuck as a card writer. Tom exists within film so well due to his knowledge of film. He spends dates and lonely afternoons at an art theater, watching old films. This leads to one of the best scenes, in which he inserts himself into several classic foreign films including some Bergman and Fellini. It is his mind that the plot is driven and, due to the tenderness of both characters, "(500) Days" flows smoothly and emotionally.
Deschanel's evolution isn't uncanny or peculiar, but the lesson she teaches is key. She teaches each of us to reflect upon ourselves, and to not rely on others to define what we are and want. Take in your life and learn from what happens around you. It's a simple message, that the film ties back into fate, but it takes heartache, happiness and reconciliation to have the epiphany.
The film ultimately is never a congruent story. The way it jumps around may confuse the young viewers, but so is the way of life. Does your memory work in chronological order? No, you remember things as feelings and random thoughts that somehow relate.
The film consists of scenes spliced together to create a story. What is so excellent is the originality of several of the scenes. One of the greatest scenes involves Gordon-Levitt recalling a particular party with Deschanel after they have broken up. There is a side-by-side screen with the expected date on the left and reality of the date on the right. Where does this genius come from? We all live through these experiences and things never turn out the way we expect, and this scene perfectly puts it into context.
The other brilliant scene is a dance number in which he walks to work in the happiest of moods. It's the best day of his life, the sun shining and everyone happy with him. This isn't anything groundbreaking or original, but it is effective and very entertaining.
The film has some flaws, including some unnecessary dialogue. One scene in particular seems dumbed down for the audience. I hate when studios think movies need dumbed down, because our culture is built on movies and film references. Most viewers are a lot smarter than Hollywood gives credit, so its scenes that mock this fact that really toast my mallow."(500) Days of Summer" is easily within this summer's top five, so try to catch a screening in your area while it is still in theaters because the style and structure are meant for the big screen.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
