(500) Days of Summer

[swerb]

Anyone see this? Roped into seeing it with the wife tonight, kicking and screaming ... and I was seriously caught off guard. First time director, no name cast, chick flick type plot - and I gotta say, this was one helluva movie with superb writing, directing, and acting.

[motherscratcher]

Yeah, I dug it a lot. I think Joseph Gordon Levitt is one of the best actors going today.

And Zooey Deschanel...hell...if you aren't at least a little bit in love with Zooey Deschanel I don't know what to tell you.

Good flick.

[Cease]

This film has been out for a while, so I'll assume spoilers are OK...

I rented this a while back as the "other" flick from the video store (aka- wife's pick).

It was pure buttered popcorn up until the end when the chick stone cold stuffs the young lad and leaves him crushed. It's a twist seldom used in movies, so (500) gets credit for that.

I don't think it should have been packaged as a chick-flick (as it was) and I wish it would have gone darker. The characters were too likable for that kind of switch 75 minutes in. If you are going to pull that move, you've got to show her side more- not just his. Otherwise, it's just a "boy loses girl" and meaningless beyond his commonly known "other fish" lesson.

I do remember it, so that says something, but I wasn't overly impressed.

[jack_tors]

That whole scene where Joseph Gorden Levitt is dancing through the streets is classic. When he looked in the mirror of the car window and saw a Hans Solo I was cracking up.

Overall, good movie and good young cast. I enjoyed how they told the story out of sequence and yet still made it a seamless story. Anyone who hard a hard time dealing with a break up can relate to this film.

[waborat]

I felt it shoulda ended after the meeting in the park...

Much more realistic...

The "happy ending" (no, not THAT kind) with Autumn was too gift-wrapped...

Loved the Sid & Nancy, Boss Cat & Ringo references...

Hated The Smith's (now I sound like CDT)

[jack_tors]

I felt it shoulda ended after the meeting in the park...

Much more realistic...

The "happy ending" (no, not THAT kind) with Autumn was too gift-wrapped...

I respectfully disagree. I liked the Autumn ending because it showed he moved onto another person. It also showed his growth as an individual since instead of dicking around for a couple weeks trying to get somewhere, he comes right out and asks her out. I could related to the ending as it shows how relationships moved in phases until you find that perfect girl.

[waborat]

until you find that perfect girl.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of Americans will never find and/or have this fairy tale ending

I understand why the writer did it, but I enjoyed how it was kind of a dark comedy and it made more sense to have it end un-Hollywood-like for a change, IMO

Overall, like Swerb said, I went into this flick thinking I would need to have nail polish on to enjoy and came away liking it more than my wife did...In fact, she called it gay

[aoxo1]

This movie was the apex of the MPDG stock character. All other films of this type will fail to live up to its standard. It's hard to imagine a more perfect actress to portray this archetype than Zooey.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/my-year- ... bat,15577/

Then again, Sarandon's character is the very embodiment of gritty neo-realism compared to Kirsten Dunst's stewardess/love interest. Dunst embodies a character type I like to call The Manic Pixie Dream Girl (see Natalie Portman in Garden State for another prime example). The Manic Pixie Dream Girl exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is an all-or-nothing-proposition. Audiences either want to marry her instantly (despite The Manic Pixie Dream Girl being, you know, a fictional character) or they want to commit grievous bodily harm against them and their immediate family. As for me, well, let's just say I'm not going to propose to Dunst's psychotically chipper waitress in the sky any time soon.

[jack_tors]

until you find that perfect girl.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of Americans will never find and/or have this fairy tale ending

Thats a good point, Waborat. Perhaps I didnt consider my luck not extending to all folks. Guess I related to the film since I too was stuck in that rut before meeting my wife.