Blu-ray Review
(500) Days of Summer
Directed by: Marc Webb
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Clark Gregg
Running Time: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: PG-13
Due Out: December 22, 2009
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PLOT: A boy (Gordon-Levitt) ready to fall in love meets a commitment phobic girl (Deschanel) and the two proceed to dance in and out of love over the course of 500 days.
WHO'S IT FOR? Do you think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is just a little bit of a romance? Are you sick of the standard fair of The Proposal being considered a quality romantic comedy? If so, then you're the one to buy (500) Days of Summer.
FULL COVERAGE of (500) Days of Summer
Scorecard Review of (500) Days of Summer) Reel Reviews Video Review of (500) Days of Summer & The Ugly Truth Video Interview with Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt The Songs, Soundtrack & Dancing of (500) Days of Summer
MOVIE:
Romantic comedies can be great. Typically, they aren’t. Most of the time they are filled with unbelievable potential and false chemistry that is just thrown on to the audience. This isn’t the case with (500) Days of Summer. You grow with Summer and Tom and feel like these are the best and worst of the little moments in a relationship. The constantly shuffling days add a unique quality that is slightly hard to explain. Most romantic comedies beat you over the head with the inside jokes and tiny moments between the couple, but here you get a glimpse, and think you understand a moment shared. But then later in the film, you get a greater understanding and truly feel connection to Tom and Summer’s relationship.
They really try to entertain with split cameras, a great narrator’s voice, songs and a classic rainy night moment. This is a film about how you remember a relationship. Sure, some will simply say Tom’s the girl and Summer’s the boy in this coming-of-age romantic comedy, but I think there are plenty of men who feel, think and over-analyze first love. I know I was in that group.
MOVIE SCORE: 9/10
EXTRAS
"Last Days of Summer" - Deleted and Extended Scenes: There is optional commentary here as well. There's more "interviews" with talking directly to the camera. There are 14 minutes of deleted scenes. We do see Tom's mother and step-dad. There was a downer version of Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams" which is just a little bit funny.
Bank Dance: Directed by Marc Webb, this is a short film starring Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Zoey Deschanel. Levitt plays a bank robber, and Deschanel, the bank clerk. But, just like most robberies, they fall in love and break into dance. The best part? "Why do you let me stay here?" by She & Him is the song they dance to. Don't know She & Him? The She is Deschanel and should definitely be added to your music collection.
Audio Commentary with Director Marc Webb and Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Do you notice which name you didn't just read? Deschanel. Couldn't they just throw us a bone and pretend these two actors get a long enough for a two-hour commentary? I don't understand. Scheduling problem? You're already getting them together for "Conversations with Zooey and Joseph." No offense to Webb of course.
OTHER EXTRAS:
Music Video: "Sweet Disposition" by the Temper Trap Not a Love Story: Making-of Featurette Mean's Cinemash: "Sid and Nancy/(500) Days of Summer Digital Copy of film Conversations with Zooey and Joseph Audition Tapes (McKenzie & Paul) Summer at Sundance Summer Storyboards Filmmaking Specials: Marc Webb talking about certain aspects of the film
EXTRAS SCORE: 9/10
OVERALL
I'm about to talk about the ending of this movie, so look away if you haven't seen it. How is this not a happy ending? I've heard people say this, but I'm watching the same movie, and I'm just not seeing it. It's Tom's quest for love that is the most important quality in the film. What he realizes is that perception and reality (my favorite scene) were two different things with Summer. He learned. Then he meets Autumn. Plus, Summer's words are important here. Sure her action can be misinterpreted, but her words are very clear ... friends. Man, love is painful. Unless it's not, then it's great. I think everyone has been Tom and Summer, at some point in their lives.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10