(500) Days of Summer (2009)

An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her.

Director:

Marc Webb

Writers:

Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber

Stars:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Tom
Zooey Deschanel	...	Summer
Geoffrey Arend	...	McKenzie
Chloë Grace Moretz	...	Rachel
Matthew Gray Gubler	...	Paul
Clark Gregg	...	Vance
Patricia Belcher	...	Millie
Rachel Boston	...	Alison
Minka Kelly	...	Autumn - Girl at interview
Charles Walker	...	Millie's New Husband
Ian Reed Kesler	...	Douche
Darryl Alan Reed	...	Bus Driver
Valente Rodriguez	...	Employee #1
Yvette Nicole Brown	...	New Secretary
Nicole Vicius	...	Partygoer

Storyline

After it looks as if she's left his life for good this time, Tom Hansen reflects back on the just over one year that he knew Summer Finn. Despite being physically average in almost every respect, Summer had always attracted the attention of men, Tom included. For Tom, it was love at first sight when she walked into the greeting card company where he worked, she the new administrative assistant. Soon, Tom knew that Summer was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Although Summer did not believe in relationships or boyfriends - in her assertion, real life will always ultimately get in the way - Tom and Summer became more than just friends. Through the trials and tribulations of Tom and Summer's so-called relationship, Tom could always count on the advice of his two best friends, McKenzie and Paul. However, it is Tom's adolescent sister, Rachel, who is his voice of reason. After all is said and done, Tom is the one who ultimately has to make the choice to listen or...

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Plot Keywords:

summer | love | friend | greeting card | office | 

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Taglines:

It was almost like falling in love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight [United States] Official site [Australia]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Swedish

Release Date:

7 August 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

500 Days of Summer

Filming Locations:

Bradbury Building - 304 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,242,631 (UK) (4 September 2009)

Gross:

$32,391,374 (USA) (20 November 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Watermark, Dune Entertainment III

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color Black and White (some sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is set in 2006-2007. (The narrator says at the end of the film that May 23 was a Wednesday. The last time May 23 was a Wednesday was 2007.)

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Goofs

In the final scene together on the park bench, Summer can be seen wearing tall wedges. As she walks away from Tom, she is wearing flat sandals.

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Quotes

Vance: Misery, sadness, loss of faith, no reason to live... This is perfect for you.

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Crazy Credits

At the beginning of the movie, before the title, a disclaimer states: AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Especially you Jenny Beckman. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bitch.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #18.32 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Sweet Disposition"
Written by Lorenzo Sillitto (as L. Sillitto) and Abby Mandagi (as A. Mandagi)
Performed by The Temper Trap
Courtesy of Liberation Music

User Reviews

The Glorious "(500) Days of Summer"

Let's face it. We've all done our share of "dumping". Whether it's the, "Lets just be friends," or the all too familiar, "It's not you, it's me," tactic, as long as you're not on the receiving end it becomes a question of, "How quickly can I get this over with, so I can move on with my life?" Equally, all of us (yes even Brad Pitt) have experienced what it feels like to "be" dumped and the complex emotions that unexpectedly follow. If you're one of the fortunate souls that have managed to escape the throws of relationship hell, you'll probably fare better with renting the newest addition to the Rambo series. For the rest of you who've at one time or another gotten your hearts ripped out of your chests and stomped into a million pieces only to turn you into unshaven, alcoholic hermits on the brink of starvation…this movie is dedicated to you.

Tom (Joseph-Gordon-Levitt) is a wanna-be architect turned professional greeting card writer whose life is thrown for a loop when he suddenly falls for the "new girl" Summer (Zooey Deschanel, Almost Famous). As one who appeared most certainly unattainable at first glance, Tom manages to charm her into what she coins as a, "casual relationship." Eventually, Tom ends up questioning their status with one another, which manages to put strain on the relationship, causing her to request the dreaded "time apart." (500) Days of Summer chronicles the bitter sweet beginnings, the untimely endings and all of that confusing stuff that takes place during the in betweens of a relationship that just isn't meant to be.

(500) Days of Summer is presented in an effective non-linear style that sets it apart from its romantic comedy predecessors, rotating back and forth between dates signified by a simple title card flashing in between scenes (2), (50), (150) and so on to represent the various days in the course of Toms roller coaster of a relationship. This seesaw method of bouncing to and fro successfully manages to force the viewer in a physically engaging shared experience of Tom's feelings, which is something every director aspires to elicit from their intended audience.

The real kudos go to Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, whose script is practically flawless. You can't help but feel that their authenticity and attention to detail while constructing each scene through appropriately sarcastic and funny dialogue exchanges among all of the main characters involved, particularly those between Deschanel and Levitt which come across as heartbreakingly real and genuine. Their creative way of crafting the simple concept of a break up through unconventional story structuring is a refreshing concept that begs to be seen more in a world where most conventional films tend to play it safe.

Leads Deschanel and Levitt manage to bring something quite special to the screen in their portrayals of Tom and Summer (both "last nameless"). Their chemistry is really what makes the film a joy to watch. Mostly thanks to Neustadter and Weber's superb dialog, both actors seem so comfortable in their roles that their interactions with one another transcend the screen and naturally unfold before our eyes as if we were voyeurs to their unraveling, wanting so much to change the fate of their outcome, but helpless to do so. Deschanel is sexy, carefree and bound to be adored by males everywhere as Summer. Levitt captures the struggle of the neurotic "boy in love" exceptionally through all of his various stages of emotional imbalance.

(500) Days of Summer is a poem to every down and out guy who thinks he's the only one whose ever been dragged through the mill by their own Summer. What undoubtedly ends up making this picture so brilliant is how relatable it is to its victims and victimizers a like. When all is said and done, there is most definitely a lesson to be learned by Tom's experiences. Everyone you meet along the way, whether just passing through or sticking around for awhile, has a purpose. In the end nothing lasts forever, relationships begin, relationships end. Try to be thankful for all the people that broke your heart, they more than likely helped you find yourself in the process …especially you, Summer…bitch.