Romantic comedies are more than abundant around Provo and most students can quote them infinitely better than Shakespeare. And yet, a movie like (500) Days of Summer has the ability to take the genre and put a completely new spin on it. Perhaps not new, just untried in the world of film. The truth is, we all can relate to this story to some degree or another. Too often, we wish we could have a Hollywood-worthy romance story, when in reality, no one's life really plays out like that. (500) Days of Summer I think is one of the few romantic dramedies that really catches the essence of dating life, and its something that a lot of us here at BYU wish we could figure out.
The non-linear approach to the life of Tom Hansen is anything but conventional in your average romantic comedy. But, the sporadic narrator doesn't fail to inform us what kind of movie we'll be viewing before we see it. The ending is evident from minute one and shouldn't come as any form of surprise. Why I particularly liked this film is I feel like I can relate to SO much of it. Tom's uncertainty, frustrations about the relationship, anger and depression following the conclusion of the relationship, is all real. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a perfect performance and Zooey Deschanel provides the flawless companion to play opposite.
I think what Joseph Gordon-Levitt had to say about why he wanted the role pretty well sums up why the film became such a success and why people can relate to it. He said, "I've had my heart broken before. Truly, truly broken. But when I look back at me in my heartbroken phase, it's pretty hilarious, because it felt so much more extreme than it really was. One of the things I love about (500) Days of Summer is that it doesn't make light of what we go through in romances, but it is honest about it and shows it for what it is, which is often profoundly funny".
In life, hardly anything goes the way we plan it. Sometimes, when we're in the moment, our emotions can have complete control over us, and consume our lives completely. But, as we return in retrospect, we find that those moments gave us incredible perspective and experience. That's what this story is really about more than anything and that's why I still keep coming back to it.
I too felt much like Tom in his recollection of days past. When asked by his younger sister where things went wrong, he can never really put his finger on it. Of course, he should have understood from the beginning what he was getting into. It's like everything makes sense in some ways, and yet there is still complete confusion. Sometimes things just plain don't make sense in the moment we're experiencing them. No matter how many times we rewind the videotape in our minds, no matter how we try and imagine how things could have been different, it doesn't change the past. However, we can choose how those experiences will affect our future. While there is a great deal of uncertainty in the ending, we can see that Tom chooses rather than to give up all hope on love entirely, to still be willing to take his chances.
I really wish this could have a sequel, not because I'm sequel happy, but because I'd like to see the reflections that Tom has upon this experience and how it affects his future. But I suppose, that could throw some interesting complications into the storytelling process.
So if this hasn't convinced you go to go find a copy and check out this totally awesome flick, I'll summarize what I learned from this pic (not necessarily in any particular order):
1. Don't read too hard into things. We're better at psyching ourselves out than anyone else.
2. The term "out of my league" is relative.
3. There is no such thing as "soul-mates" or "the one".
4. It is incredibly difficult for a relationship to progress or survive if both partners are not on the same page as to what the relationship means to them.
5. Expressions of affection mean different things to different people.
6. During relationships, we can be at our emotional highest of highs and lowest of lows, sometimes within short time-spans.
7. Some of the best dates don't cost a dime.
8. Life rarely goes as we plan it.
9. Sometimes, no matter how many times we rewind the memories in our head, we can't change the past. But, we can always have the courage to live in the present.
10. Breakups are tough, but you can get over them, no matter how deep the wound to the heart is.
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