500 Days of Summer movie is a romantic comedy-drama released at the “Sundance Film Festival” on January 17th, 2009. The flick is directed by Marc Webb and it stars Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Geoffrey Arend, Matthew Gubler, and Chloë Grace Moretz. This is a story of “boy meets girl” (or vice versa), and you should know upfront, that this is a fictional love story.
Firstly, let me introduce you to Tom (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) from New Jersey. A greeting card writer who works at a card company in Los Angeles, California.
One day, he meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel) from Michigan. The distance between these two states is over 1,000 Kilometers. Therefore, what are the odds of them ever meeting in life?
500 Days of Summer Movie – (1/500 Days)
Upon laying eyes on her, Tom asserts she is the most beautiful creature he has ever seen. One morning, they coincide at the elevator where she eavesdrops on what he is listening to, “The Smiths.” Despite their taste in music, they learn they have different beliefs.
“I have been in relationships before and I have never seen it.
-Summer, 500 Days of Summer (2009)
There is no such thing as love, it’s a fantasy.”
On one side, Tom believes in the existence of love, whereas Summer assures it is fiction. More specifically, he considers that true happiness can only be reached with a significant other. Consequently, they agree to disagree.
However, in the upcoming days, they start hanging out and become more intimate. From walks to the parks to window shopping at Ikea to sharing secrets.
(290/500 Days)
The push comes to shove when on day 290, Summer wants to break up. After all, she doesn’t want to put any label and believes he has way more potential than being just a card writer.
Despite his friends’ (Geoffrey and Matthew) advice to move on, he wants to have a say. Nonetheless, things have changed and Tom learns about the “Expectations vs. Reality” effect.
As a consequence, Tom realizes what his little sister/love guru, Rachel (Chloë Grace), had told him. All along he focused on the fictional world instead of acknowledging the reality. Lastly, he ditches the greeting cards and follows his true passion, which is architecture.
So, what happens after the 500-day mark? Moreover, is love pure coincidence, or is a person already destined to be with a significant other?
Well, there are always two sides to every story, right? Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Revisit the trailer in the link below.
