500 Days of Summer

Not chronological, not mutual, not a love story. Greeted by the enticing musings of Regina Spektor’s ‘Us’, the opening credits introduce various stages of the childhoods of Tom Hanson and Summer Finn, played by two of the most visually compatible and contrastingly quirky actors that the likes of romantic comedies have ever seen, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschannel. Lightened by the soft amusement of home video style cinematography, the opening scene is introduced comfortingly by a deep voice and appeasing shots of Levitt’s character Tom, in a vest too vintage to be considered outdated, this series of vintage vests are continued almost as a reminder that opshops are timeless throughout the film. We are then catapulted to a dark, sadistic Tom, smashing plates against a kitchen bench in angst while our calendar shuffles somewhere within the first 100 days of Tom and Summer’s escapades in the name of love, and for Summer, in spite of it.

Each enchanting detail of Summer and Tom’s infatuation renders even myself unable to justify, as the film is made by the offbeat antics and adorable whims of the two central protagonists. The intriguing use of light and shadow brings the viewer back and forth through their relationship  in a non-linear dream. One of the most appeasing elements of the film is the inclusion of various frames of Summer or rather Deschannel’s gorgeous features encapsulating her stunning aura, heart shaped birthmark, electrifying blue eyes and even at one point, her knees in a manner that generates a consensus of admirers.

The chemistry between Levitt and Deschannel on screen is amazing, they give the illusion of one of those types of couples that express affection in a manner of individuality and almost ‘Sid and Nancy’-like that redefines your perspective on love, if only for a few moments. In one of the scenes we encounter a messily dressed Tom, wandering adoringly beside a petite and classically dressed Summer, and when I say classic I’d like to paint a picture of a non-sleazy Bettie Page incorporated in a vibrant mix of colour and polka dots, through IKEA in a defining moment of their nameless relationship. Their onscreen bliss is hypnotising and we do not anticipate any trouble in paradise until the scene where an emotional Summer bursts out into uncontrollable sobs, and might I say still very attractively, whilst watching the graduate, and while this might also be a comment on Dustin Hoffman’s acting, moments of joy are stolen from our calendar as both characters battle with the alternatives of life. I’m not going to ruin the ending for you, mostly because it would be immoral to inflict such cruelty on people anticipating the climaxing moment where the words and pictures come together for a long awaited and well deserved conclusion. I will however elaborate on the moral that the story envelopes written between the lines of its effortless script, that is that love can be defined and interpreted in countless and never-ending ways, it can be portrayed and argued, however when taken on by the likes of Levitt and Deschannel, love is merely an insignificant necessity of pop culture and conventional society.

With a long list of commendable praise and in the custom of all indie flicks, 500 days of summer would be nowhere without its encouraging soundtrack and evident bias towards The Smiths. Incorporated into the film, are songs from the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, The Temper Trap, Mumm-Ra and folk-indie band She & Him comprised of the leading lady herself, Zoeey Deschannel. It is the tie in with music, cinematography and old fashion mediocre and unique attractiveness that we crafts 500 days of Summer to be the best of its kind this year. Taking a leaf from Michael Ordona from Los Angeles Times, “(500) Days of Summer is something seldom seen: an original romantic comedy”. If you have not already fallen into the entrapments of its hype, I strongly recommend you see it with the promise that it will a) not disappoint and b) concrete a love for Joseph Gordon Levitt for life.

Chantelle rates 500 Days *****

Chantelle was a guest of Birch, Carroll & Coyle Cinemas