(500) Days of Summer [DVD]

Before seeing this, I had already pigeon-holed this as the typical rom-com concept that's been flogged to death of late. Salvation I thought, may come in it's indie-like feel having seen a trailer. After going to 'keep the peace' with my girlfriend, I've come away very pleasently surprised.
The basic plotline of 'boy meets girl' may start the film, but a short way into it's running time, it's apparent this is going somewhere different.
The film's structure is all over the place chronologically. It's timeline moves back and forth with fevered intensity, but works all the better for it(Helpfully, for those not paying attention, each of the 500 days in question is numbered onscreen).
Refreshingly, much of the standard material normally seen in this sort of fare is missing.
Both leads are hugely appealing and likable, displaying believable chemistry together when scenes call for it.
The director, and the two screenwriters are male, which I found lent the Joseph Gordon Levitt's Tom the more sympathetic edge. Zooey Deschanel's title character Summer however, comes across as a representation of every woman man has failed to truely understand. Anyone who is a fan of author Mike Gayle, will find similarities of his work here.
For a film such as it is, the overall tone is decidedly pro male and ever so slightly dark, but don't let that put you ladies off. There are some nice moments of light comedy, and the 'morning after' scene is superb. Another, demonstrating a key moment with both 'expectation' and 'reality' using a splitscreen is particularly poignant. And somewhere buried in the material, yes, there is ultimately romance as well.
The soundtrack is excellent and subtley used, making a marked change from the likes of One Republic being blasted out.
I saw this in a screen packed with about 80% women, most of which seemed to to leave smiling, having enjoyed it immensely. Despite my initial protestations, I'm not ashamed to say it had the same affect on me.

To be honest, when I went to the cinema to see this I was skeptical at first. Expecting the usual cliche ridden rom com I was delighted when this turned to be very unique and funny. I loved how the love story was told through the guys eyes for a change, especially as the character Tom is extremely likable. The whole vibe of the film is very indie/retro so if that's your style, this is for you. However, the reach goes farther than the hipster crowd as the story and characters are down to earth and fun. I keep coming back to this film and it's now one of my very favourites. I highly recommend it.

This movie is an engaging story of one mans romantic misadventures, while it would appear to recommend itself to most strongly as a "chick flick" the movie's central protagonist is a man and his trials and travils in seeking romance I think would resonate with any thinking man too.

The film is a chronicle of 500 days spent with or related to the female love interest Summer, there's the awkward beginnings of the relationship and our male protagonist criss crosses through despair, new hopes, obsessiveness and real crankiness.

There is some reflection throughout, when our hero speaks with friends, a wisened younger female character too (the actress from Kick Ass) and while he is sympathetic throughout it is played with the right amount of whiney and obsessive character so that it is obvious to the watcher just why our protagonist is being rejected and will be.

His feelings of persecution or being wronged are totally misplaced and it is pointed out to him that he is unfair in feeling that way and projecting a lot of hostility in the direction of Summer, who has not misled him at any point.

Depending on what you think about the feature it could be a happily ever after story in which experience provides insight and everyone moves on. Or it could be depicting a terrible sort of cycle which one person is going to experience and re-experience with different people. I felt that it was suggesting that when disappointment intrudes upon hopes of love and romance that you dont throw out the baby with the bathwater and give up on love and romance per se because on this one occasion it hasnt worked out. Other conclusions could be drawn I guess.

It is a slightly more sophisticated version of Friends With Benefits [DVD] [2011], at least in so far as it deals with similar themes and is also in keeping with a kind of role reversal I see in movies now, with male leads struggling with unavailable or non-commital female muses. I dont know if that is actually reflective of society at large or refletive of the viewing tastes of a particular public.

It isnt a romcom, if there are laughs they are not belly laughs but merely amusement. The additional features which are extended and deleted scenes for the most part, do add to the feature but watch them afterwards rather than before the feature because they wont make sense and will ruin it for you.