(500) Days of Summer

Marc Webb's feature film debut, (500) Days of Summer, wasn't a film I was exactly looking forward to. I was prepared to write it off to hype, but as I sat down to watch the movie with my wife I can say I really wasn't prepared for the places this film went. This is the kind of romantic comedy I enjoy the most, with real characters and real emotions, topped off with a believable story.

The story is told in a non-linear fashion, with Tom Hansen (a mesmerizing Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falling in love with the new girl, Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel), at the greeting card company where he works. Eventually the two begin seeing each other, where Tom learns that Summer does not want to get close, having commitment issues stemming from her parent's divorce. Early in the movie, we see the aftermath of the end of their relationship, Summer wanting to remain friends; Tom wanting more. Tom romanticizes their relationship, blinding himself to the reality of what Summer is and isn't. The film follows his rise and fall of emotions, Tom wondering how to get Summer back, everyone else wondering where Tom will land.

(500) Days of Summer is a film that lets its actors breathe and inhabit their characters (every actor makes the most of their screen time) and genuinely puts us in Tom's shoes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors and I can't wait to see him in next month's Inception and Zooey Deschanel is possibly too good at pulling off her off putting character. Marc Webb has a tight hold on his direction and gives every frame a pleasing touch to the eye, while not afraid to get a little existential and goofy. Also to note is the great soundtrack, featuring Regina Spektor and Black Lips, among others. This is just a film I really enjoyed every minute and every element of and I highly recommend it.