August 3, 2009

Director: Marc Webb

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Release Date: July 17, 2009 (limited)

I have hope for the romantic comedy.  After enduring February’s He’s Just Not That Into You, I really started to believe that the future for this particular genre, in terms of any sort of artistic appeal or entires that have any weight to them at all, was dismal. There have been some notable offerings over the last year or so in the form of some energetic indie films, but nothing to write home about.

But then comes along first-time director Marc Webb with an enjoyable little number that has, at least for the time being, restored my faith in the rom-com.  Remember the bliss that was Garden State?  Think of (500) Days of Summer as a slightly more mature, infinitely more whimsical relative of the 2004 Zach Braff hit.

The story follows the exploits of Tom Hansen, a twenty-something who grew up with rock-solid faith in the promise that there is such a thing as true love and that it’s waiting for that perfect moment to manifest itself in our lives.  He works as a writer for a greeting card company: you know, the ones that turn out the same “Hang in there!” drivel you often find at your local Hallmark. Things are mediocre as usual until the day Tom’s boss hires Summer Finn as an assistant.  Tom is instantly mesmerized by her, and does all he can to catch her attention.

The cat and mouse game that results is well crafted, funny, and true to life.  Though things start to tire slightly at the conclusion, witnessing the evolution of the relationship between Tom and Summer is a real treat, and it shows that screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have a real eye for the nuanced interactions that comprise the modern relationship for many people. The whole thing is intermittently narrated (literally and figuratively) too, which helps provide a decidedly “fairy tale”-esque panache that both delivers on the promises we’re fed during childhood and dashes them by deftly exploring the not-so-pretty harshness of how relationships often play out in the real world.  All of this is nicely underscored by the fact that both Tom and Summer’s parents are divorced–a key point that plays into their own expectations regarding relationships (particularly Summer’s).  This is made especially clear in a scene during which Tom and Summer purposely become lost in the maze that comprises their local Ikea.  The pair jokingly takes on the stereotypical roles expected of a man and wife, with Summer cheerfully removing imaginary food from an oven and Tom sitting at a spotless kitchen table.  He beams with an over-the-top smile, feigning pride in regards to the “mock life” that him and his partner have fostered.  There’s some real subtextual resonance here, and it shows that everyone involved in (500) Days of Summer really wanted to create a film that goes beyond mere entertainment–they wanted to make something that their audience can relate to.

There’s also an artistic flair to the movie that makes it that much more interesting.  Though it’s rather infrequent, scenes sometimes transition into rough sketches mimicking those that Tom, who was schooled in architecture (though he chose not to pursue it as a career), pens in his notepad during his afternoon musings in a downtown Los Angeles park.  The film even includes some cartoon animation, which shows Webb’s ability to work some perfectly appropriate, albeit cheesy humor into the production.  There are one or two instances where it seems as if (500) Days of Summer is “being indie” just for the sake of being indie, but these are few and far between.  They’re also instantly forgivable in the midst of the accomplishments the film manages, especially considering the unrealistic convention that so many recent romantic comedies have fallen victim to.

If you want an enjoyable night at the movies with your significant other, then go check out (500) Days of Summer.  It’s entertaining and thoughtful, a combination that’s extraordinarily rare in the rom-coms I’ve encountered thus far in 2009.

out of 5

–Chris Flowers

Rated PG-13 for sexual material and language.