(500) Days of Summer (2009) Director: Marc Webb

(500) Days of Summer is a non-traditional rom-com - an honest look on love and the fact that relationships, more often than not, don't work out. The bright and punchy screenplay and the delightful two main leads, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom and Zooey Deschanel as Summer, make this a very intelligent and enjoyable film.

It's boy meets girl - Tom falls for Summer when they meet at work - but Summer doesn't want anything 'serious'. She then, annoyingly, does get into something serious with Tom. Girls, damn it, we say one thing and mean the other. Tom definitely comes off as the more credible lead due to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cute demeanour and butter wouldn't melt attitude. Zooey Deschanel is her usual kooky and frustating self - something I know that rings very true to many male friends of mine. I've seen it! I've done it even! I'm sorry. I was Zooey Deschanel on many occasions. I apologise.

Right then - *blush* - the main crux of the film is that it's told over 500 days of their relationship but follows a nonlinear narrative so we're constantly switching back and forth throughout the days. It actually works exceptionally well. Cue their excitement, the romance, of their first trip to Ikea together...then the haunting silence of another trip as their relationship fails. It also interestingly shows that what happens in someone's head - the anticipation - isn't actually what happens in reality. We have scenarios plotted in our minds when it comes to romance and reactions but reality is often very different...and disappointing.

Everything is okay in the end. I'll let you know that. I laughed...I cried...and the ending - well, it was very warming. You'll come away having faith in love!

Oh, and that bloody catchy Temper Trap song isn't actually in it that much :-)
4/5