Sundance Film Review: 500 Days of Summer - A+
'500 Days of Summer' is the best movie I have seen at the Sundance Film Festival so far. I have nothing but good things to say about this movie. Fox Searchlight pictures really got themselves quite an amazing film, and it's one that I want to recommend to everyone! I want to stand on the rooftops and yell at the huge crowd standing below to go watch this movie! This is a movie I think most people may be able to connect with. It was the first movie I saw at Sundance that connected with me on a personal level because I have gone through the same type of experience as the main character did. It really brought back some crazy bad memories about a bitch I used to be engaged to that crushed my heart into a bloody jello mold. That's what '500 Days To Summer' is about, now you might be thinking "why the hell would I want to see a movie about that?" Because it was an incredible film, that's why!
This is a film about a boy named Tom who grew up believing in the magic of true love, and that there is one person out there for him to spend the rest of his life with. Tom works for a company that makes cards like Hallmark. He is the guy that comes up with the cheesy lines that are on the cards we give to our loved ones. It is at this company where he falls for a girl named Summer who takes a job as an assistant. Here's the thing Summer is the girl that grew up not believing that the true love Tom believes in does not exist. These two form a relationship that takes them to places emotionally that they didn't see coming, and it becomes so frustrating you don't know if you want to laugh or cry, so you do a little bit of both.
For some reason the movie is being marketed as a non romance film, and I can see why they would want to do that because it is about a incredibly awful girl that breaks the heart of the man fully committed to her. This movie was made with the intention of having the audience hate Summer. from the very start of the film the director makes it very clear.
As soon as this movie began I knew I was going to love it. It has a great feel and look. There is a pleasant voice over narration that helps propel the movie forward. It reminded me of the TV show 'Pushing Daisies' a little bit. The cinematography was fantastic. This movie doesn't really play out like an indie film because it is incredibly polished.
The film stars Zooey Deschanel as Summer and she is so adorable in this movie, at the same time there come a point where she just becomes a jerk. She has had her hits and misses as an actress but she really hits it in this one. She does a great job. Joesph Gordon-Levitt plays the male lead Tom, and this is by far the greatest performance of his career. I have really enjoyed him in all the movies he has done, but he is amazing in this film. The chemistry between these two actors in the movie was pretty powerful and believable. There are a bunch of other characters in the movie but the only other one I want to point out is Rachel a little girl played by Chloe Mortez who will be playing Hit Girl in the upcoming 'Kick-Ass' movie. This was the first time I have seen her act and she is going to be perfect in 'Kick-Ass'.
I applaud the director Mark Webb for making such a wonderful heartfelt movie. I am not sure if this movie is about a real experience that he had with a woman, but I felt the character Tom's pain and his joy. I sympathised with him because I knew what he was going through.
'500 Days of Summer' is a honest film about love, what love is and how love works. They may not want to call it a romance film, but this is now one of my favorite romance films! It has got everything a great romance film needs, especially the truth about the pains and joys of being in love. I highly recommed that you all see this movie.