500 Days of Summer

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't.

It's not your traditional love story. And well, that's because it's not a love story. As it well defines at the beginning of the movie. This is a story about love.

Normally, movies that come from the Sundance Film Festival are pretty fantastic movies. It won't stop here. Amongst films coming from the Sundance Film Festival (fyi: its a festival that takes place in Utah once a year for private film-ers) are Once, the Visitor, and Precious (this year's winner).

This film is different. The filming isn't your normal start to finish story telling where you figure out the plot in the first five minutes and the rest of the movie you sit and predict how many people around you will cry or how many kissing scenes there will be. And regardless... this is not that movie. This movie keeps you watching and waiting, because you know more goodness is coming and so it does. I don't know why this movie isn't more widespread or receiving more theater screens, it's a whole lot more informative about male-female relationships than say... The Ugly Truth. But enough on that.

What I like most about this movie has to do with A.filmography, B. The Time Line, C. The characters, and D. The plot. Let's start with A. This film is inventive. Well, there is a tad bit reminder of Juno or the likes, but all in all, it's absolutely refreshing. It's as if you can step into the painting. Very effective. B. This is no ordinary 500 days. It's certainly not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,... and you can bet your bottom dollar that it still makes sense! We connect with our main character Tom so much quicker by feeling his pain and then seeing how he gets there and where he goes with it. It's beautifully set up and I would be disappointed with anything less than this. C. Wow, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt totally own this film. They are funny. They are likeable. Zooey lights up the screen as the quirky and unpredictable Summer. She is what she is. She doesn't really pretend to be what she's not and in her defense, she told Tom straight up what was going on in that relationship. Jordon was equally as great. He is a greeting card writer/failed architect. His character is so dynamic. There is growth. I wish I knew just how to say how relatable he is. But that's just what he is: relatable. Relatable to anyone who thought they found the one and then had their heart broken; relatable to anyone who loved; relatable to anyone who would try love again. Accompanying these two stars are largely Tom's friends. They are so funny and just fantastic! They provide comic relief especially when Tom hits... rock bottom. His friend McKenzie (played by Geoffrey Arend) also plays the wildly funny Karl Benson in Garden State. D. The plot is a breath of fresh air. Whilst, this isn't exactly a romantic comedy... in a way it is, but perhaps a little more true to real life. This story might not even be 100% original, but there is the feeling that it is. You don't come out of the theater thinking, "you know, I've seen something like that before." I appreciate both of the writers of this movie... and for both, this was their first movie to write (or to write and make it to screen).

I forgot one other part that was simply fantastic and slightly reminiscent of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. There was a dance scene. Um, hello, totally rad! And quite epic.

In conclusion, this movie is a don't miss. It's a "buy" movie. Either spend the cash now or get it when it comes out, because it is worth it. And for anyone that is wary of love... perhaps you may see a little bit differently after this viewing pleasure.

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