DVD Review: 500 Days Of Summer

In this quirky romantic comedy about love and fate, a young greeting card writer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is hopelessly, helplessly searching for the girl of his dreams…and his new co-worker, Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel), may just be “the one.” But the 500 days of their offbeat relationship reveal (in no particular order) that the road to happiness can be unpredictable, uncontrollable – and unbelievably funny!

Review:
500 Days revolves around love struck Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the girl of his dreams, Summer (Zooey Deschanel). In just 500 days, Tom goes from meeting Summer, to falling for her, to convincing himself that he doesn’t love her, to being with her, to…. Well, I can’t tell you that.

Summer is a free-spirited, do-what-you-want-in-the-moment kind of girl. If that means screaming “PENIS!” at the top of her lungs in a park filled with kids – well then that’s exactly what she’ll do. Only thing is, she doesn’t believe in love. To her, love is just fantasy. Tom on the other hand is completely different. Thanks to the influence of movies and pop songs throughout his youth – he believes in love, destiny, and soul mates – and he’s convinced Summer is “the one.”

Summer is upfront and honest with Tom from the beginning. She’s not looking for anything serious, but that leaves Tom confused as Summer’s actions may seem to suggest otherwise. As the two grow closer and the walls come down, Summer decides they shouldn’t see each other anymore, but that he’s still her best friend – the words no guy ever wants to hear. After a period of sulking and breaking dishes, Tom decides he’s going to get his love-is-the-adult-version-of-Santa-Claus-girlfriend back.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines in this film and continues to be an underrated actor in my opinion. After seeing him in Brick, I’ve been thoroughly in love with the actor. He’s a huge talent in the making, and Zooey Deschanel is just as charming and adorable as she always is. The role is perfect for her.

The movie jumps around a bit and provides a stark comparison between the happy moments and the not-so-happy moments in the relationship. The script and direction is brilliant, and it feels like Garden State meets Little Miss Sunshine. At the end of it all, you’ll appreciate the honesty and the fact that it hasn’t been sugar-coated. This film takes risks, and it definitely pays off. It’s a movie the girls will adore and the guys will enjoy as well.

The Blu-ray provides some awesome special features including deleted and extended scenes, conversations with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, audio commentary, and a number of other featurettes.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: A+
Official site: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/
Buy on Amazon: 500 Days Of Summer