(500) Days of Summer [Blu-ray]

Daughter loved it

These days there is such a steady influx of cookie cutter rom-coms that after a while they all start to look, sound, and feel the same. Some are cutesy, some are full of teenage drama, some are about as convincing as watching the opening auditions of American Idol (entertaining in the fact that they're so bad) but they're full of fluff. And then there are those delicately crafted, smart, and charming films that you walk away from with a smile on your face, not an eye roll. For me, 500 Days of Summer is such a film.The story centers around Tom, a young man who's waiting for the girl of his dreams, and Summer, the one who he believes to fit the role. They begin a doomed relationship since Summer has made her skepticism of love due to her parents divorce when she was a girl very clear. She's just doing it for fun. I have seen this mindset among singles around me. Disillusionment with true love so they settle on just a feel-good romance or never open themselves to love at all. Does true love even really exist or is it fantasy? What does love even mean? This is the film's main theme as both Tom and Summer try to come to an answer.Some have said it was too sad or depressing for a romance-comedy. And even the narrator says up front "This is not a love story". There are scenes where Tom is trying to get over Summer but he's just so depressed that it starts to take a toll on the viewer. But anyone who has gone through a breakup and felt the shadow that seems to follow you everywhere can empathize with Tom. It was inspiring to see how, while he was still hurting over her, this kind of wake up call was what he needed to get control of his life. And in the end, both of them are able to believe in love again. I won't ruin it for you, but the last scene made me smile so it does end on a good note.Technically speaking, the film was surprisingly good. The acting was great, especially Summer, played by the cute and down-to-earth Zooey Deschanel. I thought her line delivery, her voice, her tinge of quirkiness was very endearing. Some might think her acting was shallow but it was a breath of fresh air to see an actress in a romance film who wasn't tan, blonde, and constantly either out of breath, in tears, or strutting in high heels. The supporting actors are also full of personality. The lines are full of wit and humor that actually made me laugh, which is always good in a successful comedy. The soundtrack and songs featuring Regina Spektor, The Smiths, and some lower profile but talented artists was very affective with the scenes they were matched with. And it was a concise hour and a half which is always nice when you're just in the mood for a quick feel-good movie. I've watched it probably half a dozen times and it doesn't gets old. Really, a surprisingly good film that I think people on both sides of the spectrum can enjoy.

The “Expectations versus Reality” scene is one of the best scenes in a movie ever directed—only because it’s so true in real life. Have you ever been hopelessly in love with someone, only to realize that it’s not reciprocated?Yet, you keep pretending that that elusive woman will change her mind about you, even when she has already moved on?

Much better film than I anticipated. Great actors, great directing, great music, great use of real places - they made downtown LA look way more appealing than it does (especially than it did back when this was filmed, in the late 2000's). Though only a brief moment at the end, I haven't seen a more film-worthy use of the inside of the Bradbury Building since Blade Runner. I knew I'd be watching a love story, yes, but I wasn't expecting the amount of honesty that this story proffered. I don't want to write any spoilers, but where this story ended up was not what I was expecting, even less so did I expect how it got there. The best thing about this film is probably that it really loves and cares for all its characters, even the city that frames the story. It avoided the easy out of creating villains, of which there are really none, even though lots of cliche-ish opportunities presented themselves to make some. Instead it chose to have everyone who had a line in this film appear as a human being with something of value to offer to the protagonist, Tom, as well as to us, the viewers (okay, maybe there was an exception in the guy who hit on Summer with Tom sitting right there - he was definitely a slime ball and was, I guess, only there to set up a conflict between the lovers). Tom's little sister as confidante and relationship coach may have been the masterstroke of all, since her character could have so easily slipped into a precocious and annoying waste of an actress. But she, like pretty much everything and everyone else in the film was exactly right. Great film. Glad I finally got to see it.