Now keep in mind, I've been cursed by the screenwriter gods to look at every film as basically a moving script. Every line that rolls off a character's tongue, I see it written down in 12 point Courier. I don't know why, but I do. It's an extremely useful way to learn how to write movies... and I can't possibly understate that fact. Especially not when I use words like "extremely".
From that perspective, you can see why I was a little nervous at first when I sat down to watch 500 Days of Summer -- as it was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, the "ingenues" behind only one other movie in their careers -- Pink Panther 2. I never saw it, but admit it, neither did you. It flopped harder than New Coke.
We start off 500 Days with a fairly bitter written disclaimer. Already I can sense where this thing is headed: it's a pure revenge piece. Some girl broke poor Scott Neustadter's heart, and in retaliation, he and his wingman Michael Weber decided to turn her into cinema. Luckily this isn't an alien concept to most of us -- heartbreak -- we've all been there, so it's refreshing to see some honesty up on the screen right off the bat.
We meet Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a 25-something college dropout working at a greeting card company, the type of guy who doesn't lack for brains or ability, but simple motivation. He dreams of being an architect, but never took any classes. We're also introduced to several characters who have no bearing on the plot whatsoever -- two generic friends, a wise little sister, and Tom's boss -- four people without any kind of dramatic arc or anything of substance to say. It's a shame, really, because a sharp re-write could have excised a lot of the dead air from the movie.
But guess what: most of the bad parts of my review are already out of the way. Because once we're introduced to Tom's new co-worker Summer (Zooey Deschanel) the frequently uninspired dialogue takes a back seat, and the love story that "isn't a love story" is quickly set free, bursting with whimsy and sincerity. That's an odd combination, but oddly enough, it works.
Much of the success of 500 Days of Summer has to be credited to the director, Marc Webb. His keen eye for detail is very effective in painting a portrait of a Mysterious Beauty, through snapshots, moments, bits and pieces of reality. This style of filmmaking evokes an overall "sense" of a relationship as well as some of the very best romantic comedies (Annie Hall, Eternal Sunshine, Say Anything).
And it's the sequences without dialogue in this film that truly shine -- such as a split-screen of expectations vs. reality, a wordless scene referencing The Graduate, an intimate train ride at sunset, and yes, a showstopping infectious dance number set to Hall & Oates. We feel these moments just as the writers probably once did, at times commiserating with Tom, at others, high-fiving him.
Now I'm not a professional actor by any means (and if you saw the movie, you can attest to that as well), so I always feel awkward critiquing an actor's performance. That being said -- both leads impressed me. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has come a long way from seeing invisible Christopher Lloyds behind every dugout. His character was shockingly understated, considering he was the Male Lead in a Romantic Comedy. You just don't see that these days. Refreshing. Yet there was a deceptive amount of craft in his mannerisms. Much props to him, for sure. Much props.
Meanwhile, Zooey was Zooey -- the same "spaced-out-pin-up girl" thing she always does. Her role may have been a little underwritten by the Pink Panther duo. But she definitely brought a certain kind of honesty to the part, an honesty that made Summer seem almost (but not quite) sympathetic. Trust me: you're rooting for Tom the whole way. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
(And from my point of view, her and Tom could have been the only two people in the entire film. It's their story. The TV-sitcom sidekick characters didn't bother me too much, and they were well enough acted, but they just never had much of a reason to exist.)
Maybe I've been too harsh on the screenwriters. The script had several terrific ideas that were clearly on the page from Day One. The dialogue wasn't bad at all for a modern indie, all things considered. And hey -- they make a hell of a lot more money than I do... that's for sure! I only think with a little more polish, 500 Days could've been a new genre-defining movie for not only a new generation, but for all generations. The music, cinematography, acting, and direction were all great -- and the writing was simply "good".
But in the final analysis, what's remarkable about this movie -- and why you should support it, and spend money to see it in theaters -- is its bleeding, beating heart. 500 Days of Summer is a film about love that actually aspires to Greatness. It's earnest and hopeful, as well as entertaining and easily relatable. While the movie doesn't quite get where it wants to go, it contains many moments of sneaky brilliance.
In a way, it's like Annie Hall's much younger, ADD-fueled little brother. If that doesn't get your butt in a seat, I don't know what else to tell you. Oh, and I'm in it.
8.5/10
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