(500) Days of Summer: Review

There are not many films which can brag to have the polarised fanbase of (500) Days of Summer.

While originally a hit in cinemas this anti-rom-com has since developed a large community of warring fans. Some think that this film is cinematic gold, some think it's pre-adolescent drivel. Don't even get me started on the fan war of who out of the two main characters is in the wrong.

Is Tom pushy and immature, totally ignoring the needs of Summer or is Summer a cold hearted bitch who led him on knowing she didn't want a relationship with him?

People are very quick to slate this film as problematic. To that I say...

Yes, it is problematic... that's the point.

Tom and Summer's relationship is not a good one. That's why it doesn't work! They both want different things, they both make bad decisions. The narration literary states at the beginning of the film that "this is a story of boy meets girl, but this is NOT a love story".

1. Plot

(500) Days of Summer is about a man called Tom who has always believed in true love and his crush Summer, who does not. From their first "meet-cute" moment in a lift, Tom is determined that Summer is his soul mate destined to one day be his wife. He pursues her and for a while she seems to return his affections. However, she makes it very clear to Tom that she is not looking for anything serious.

The film tells the story of their turbulent 500 day relationship told from Tom's point of view.

It's important to note that the film is written from Tom's perspective. Some people's biggest problem with the film is how little character is given to Summer. How she seems to appear as Tom's dream girl and then flippantly change her mind with no motivation.

In my own analysis I think the lack of Summer's character is because we see her as Tom sees her. He's in love with the idea of being in love and spends very little time getting to know Summer personally. There's a moment in the film where Summer is opening up to him about her past but it is drowned out by Tom's own narration, he's not really listening to her just excited that she's with him.

Summer is not right for Tom and Tom is not right for Summer but he's so obsessively sure that she is he refuses to acknowledge they want different things and that their relationship will never work.

The genre of the film has been patented as an anti-rom-com wherein all the elements of a good rom-com are there except the romance does not end happily. Another example of an anti-rom-com is The Break Up but this is a terrible, terrible film so you can just take my word for it if you like.

(500) Days of Summer is also in many ways a coming of age story about a man learning how relationships work, how to be less of a selfish person and growing through the process so when he does find love he's a better person. Kind of like what How I Met Your Mother did over 9 seasons but is executed here in less than 2 hours.

2. Editing

There's one scene in this film that always gets brought up when talking about it. The expectations vs reality scene takes place on a rooftop party, one side of the screen showing what Tom expected to happen, the other showing what he's really doing. Even though you want Tom to move on for both their sakes there's still a sense of heartbreak that I get watching this sequence, especially with their choice of soundtrack mirroring his own thoughts.

There are multiple "gimmick" editing elements like this used throughout the film. Some are very clever and add to the comedy and narrative, some are unnecessary and distracting. For me they had to have a purpose in showing what Tom is thinking or feeling at any given moment to justify themselves, just being a pretty aesthetic choice can come across as a bit attention grabbing and proud of itself.

I did love the impromptu musical moment though... that was awesome.

3. Soundtrack

I know none of the songs used in the soundtrack were written for the film but the selection of music is next to perfect for this genre. It keeps the mood of an upbeat indie rom-com and the bittersweet nature of its ending. The soundtrack's on spotify, would highly recommend!

4. Conclusion

While I can't honestly say this indie collage of a rom-com is for everyone I think it's still a film that tried to do something outside the mainstream. Personally I found it very entertaining with funny laughs, characters I liked even though I didn't like them together and some interesting ideas about relationships and the pressure put on people to find that special person.

(500) Days of Summer is like the millenial's Annie Hall and despite some of its themes being lost to warring online fans, I think it delivers everything it wants to and tells a great anti-love story.

7/10