(500) Days of Summer

Hello all...

Well, Darrick, Brian Ong, Mindy, Justin, Shane and I just finished watching 500 Days of Summer at UTC and I thought I'd give it a shot and write a review about it.

Warning: Some give away of the story and little spoilers...not that there's much to spoil...

500 Days of Summer was good because of the appealing, unique, and original way the story was presented, but not because of the story. The story was quirky-ish, funny-ish, but it's just sort of unoriginal for the originality poured into the presentation. Mainly though, the story was sort of a drag. While the film structure was rather lighthearted, the story felt like a long break-up. To me, it just didn't work together that way and I didn't realize it was bothering me until I was driving home. Throughout the whole movie, there was just something about the movie I didn't like, and that was it.

Even though I thought the story was unoriginal, at least the story stayed true to its characters. And that really gave them more levels and really brought them to life. The acting helped of course, but it wasn't noteworthy acting or anything, it was just good. What gave the characters more levels which would also naturally give the story more levels was the contrast between the two characters and their belief in love.

SPOILERS

What I found interesting about the two character were the fact that they were both wrong and both right about love. Summer believed that true love doesn't exist. She was right about it with Tom, but she was wrong about it with her husband. While Tom believed that true love exists. But he was wrong about it with Summer, but hinted at the end that he was right about it with Autumn. So bascially...they were doomed from the start. Yet, they managed to find themselves meeting somewhere in the middle.

I know some of you might oppose this (Darrick), but I actually really liked the character of Summer. Though coldblooded she may be, I thought she was straightforward and stuck with her words. Mainly, she wasn't your typical woman character in romantic comedies. The man and woman were actually flipped in a subtle way. The woman was detached while the man was really attached and in love. I thought the subtle contrasts in the storyline and the characters were brilliant.

So besides the sort of unoriginal story and the fact that I was a little bored at some points...
The movie was funny, but I don't think it was the story that was funny. I think it was the directing and the editing that made most of the funny parts in the movie.

And SERIOUS MAD PROPS to the director for visualizing this film because it could not have been easy. I'm also not too sure on what to make of the split screen stuff. I really like the whole expectation/reality split screen, but as for the rest of them...I'm not too sure about. But seriously, the director made a really realistic film about how people think. I really do believe a lot of people think the way the main character does. So I wouldn't be surprised that the film can connect with a lot of audience and do well.

Actually, I just thought of a good way to describe the style: think Amelie without the french quality (saturated color, perfectly romantic elements, and lighthearted). This film does have some romantic quality about it...
I'm sure much of the general audience will walk out of the theater with a smile and feeling good about what love means.

So basically....I liked it overall, but I didn't love it nor did I hate it/dislike it. There were some really great stuff and a subtle profoundness that seems to be missing in a lot of chick flicks and romantic comedies these days
So I'd say it's worth to watch but don't expect to be swept away by its non-existing romance