WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
500 Days of Summer (2009) is a film set in Los Angeles, California, where hopeless romantic Tom falls in love with an avoidant Summer, and no, I do not mean the season. While the film is classified as a rom com melodrama, director Marc Webb made sure to fool viewers with this stamp, as it will leave you with trains of thoughts and that gut-wrenching heartache you just can’t shake. With the witty dialogue, emotion-filled soundtrack, and distinctive visuals, the film has become one that resonates with its audience as Tom’s journey is made to be severely relatable and intimate to watch.
The film starts with the narrator establishing that this is not that of a love story, but instead a reminiscence on the days our two main characters have spent together. It is clear that from the jump, Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the main protagonist, has a fixed idea on love, what he wants, and how he just cannot seem to find the one while also being that of a hopeless romantic. This leads us to Summer, who in Tom’s eyes, is the perfect women, at least at first. Summer is very innocently played by actress Zooey Deschanel, who does an amazing job of establishing her as a carefree girl who does not want anything serious relationship wise. This leads Tom to believe he can change her mind about relationships, pushing more into that hopeless romantic stereotype.
The first time Tom and Summer interact, it is a conversation in an elevator where Tom’s music can be heard through his headphones, leading Summer to say that she loves The Smiths. Their song, “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” plays later once Tom and Summer have broken up. Only using The Smiths music once they have broken up enhances the thought that they were doomed to fail from the beginning. With the usage of split screens and handheld shots, the camera work allows the viewers to experience Tom’s emotions when it comes to Summer. The split screen shows how Tom sees the relationship compared to the harsh truth that it is all a delusion. The different hues and colors also play a major role as the use of warm versus cool tone reflects on how Tom and Summer are feeling towards each other, also giving the audience an insight to how the scene is about to play out.
Throughout the film, it shows how big of a toll Summer ultimately deciding she does not want to be with Tom took on him and his mental health. Despite being told from the beginning she did not want anything big and serious; Tom took all the time they spent together as a relationship. The end scene of Tom walking away and finally accepting that she was just not the one for him and that he spent to long focusing on the situation when she was out with other people contributes to the overall theme of not dwelling on the past but instead focus on the future. Because the past is set in place, you cannot change it no matter what, this means that the only place you can look forward to is the future. Therefore, focusing on the future is the only option, to learn from ones mistakes is to mature as a person, something that Tom did at the end of the movie compared to the beginning and middle where he thought he could change Summer, and ultimately deciding to wait for her though he had no reason to believe they were going to end up together.
Overall, I would give this film a 10/10. Not only does the beginning have that cheesy rom-com feel, but the end shows the audience a message to not waste time on something or someone that is not going to do the same for you. The film really is for those who love to feel wrenched after watching a movie, the raw emotion of the actors shows through their characters in a way that draws well to the audience. It allows them to feel the highs and lows with the characters. Rather than a traditional love story, it reflects on personal growth and the truth behind some relationships. 500 Days of Summer is truly a thought-provoking film that resonates heavily with the audience.
