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:

Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Geoffrey Arend

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 17 wins & 56 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. 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 not.

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Plot Keywords:

true love | bangs | hiked skirt | premarital sex | chinaman | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jenny Beckman, the girl who is mentioned at the beginning of the movie, was a real girl who dumped one of the screenwriters, Scott Neustadter. Summer is based on this girl, and the script of the movie on their relationship.

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Goofs

During the copy-room kiss scene, Summer only touches the back of Tom's head yet when she leaves Tom's hair is ruffled all over giving the impression of a passionate encounter.

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Quotes

Tom: But what happens when you fall in love?
[Summer chuckles]
Tom: What?
Summer: Well, you don't believe that, do you?
Tom: It's love. It's not Santa Claus.
Summer: Well, what does that word even mean? I've been in relationships and I don't think I've ever seen it.
Tom: Well, maybe that's because...
Summer: And most marriages end in divorce these days. Like my parents.
Tom: Okay. Mine too, but...

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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

References Citizen Kane (1941)

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Soundtracks

Here Comes Your Man
Written by Frank Black (as Charles Thompson)
Sung by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (uncredited)
Courtesy of Stingray Music

User Reviews

This is Not a Love Story

Greetings again from the darkness. The narrator warns us upfront ... this is not a love story. Still, we are so preconditioned by Hollywood, that directive merely floated around in my head until near the end of the film when I realized it was perfectly accurate.

Joseph Gordon-Levit and Zooey Deschanel are the leads and each bring a certain quirkiness and sensitivity to their roles. Watching them grow as a couple just never quite clicks for the viewer the way it does for JGL's character. He buys in hook, line and sinker and believes his destiny for love is being fulfilled by Summer (Zooey).

Director Marc Webb throws a bit of everything at us - just to prove this is not a traditional love story. We get the fun of memory blender - flashbacks like Day 488, Day 2, Day 159 - well you get the point. That is how most of us remember anyway: non-linear. We also get a funny musical number in the park, a b & w Bergmanesque dramatization, and a leading man whose poetic musings are limited to his writing quips for a greeting card company. Oh, he also takes love advice from his 11 year old soccer-playing sister (Chloe Moretz), but wisely declines most of it from his best friend played by sexist, drunken (and funny) co-worker, Geoffrey Arend.

What I really like about the film is that it is different, yet very realistic. So often our "dream" girl is just not quite a fit in this world, yet she and the next guy are just right. Doesn't seem fair, but in reality, it is not only fair, but perfectly just. And remember, there is always another season ... maybe Autumn?

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight [United States] Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Swedish

Release Date:

7 August 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

500 Days of Summer

Filming Locations:

Angel's Flight, 351 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$834,501, 19 July 2009

Gross USA:

$32,391,374

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$60,722,734

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