Most of the time, we head into the movies to get a dose of fantasy. The happy every after, the good vanquishes evil, the dream comes true…escapism is probably one of the reasons why we all love watching movies.
Surprisingly, this is why we enjoyed (500) Days of Summer. Not that it’s a movie that’s unrealistic or full of fluff about love, but because it’s so similar to real life.
How many times have we believed that the other party is The One for us, only for them to walk away and leave because we are not The One for them? How often have we fooled ourselves into thinking that we can be what the other party wants us to be, only to come to the realisation that we cannot change our expectations to match theirs?
I’ll try not to spoil the movie for you if you haven’t watched it but bring along a hankie, just in case. It’s not a weep fest the way The Time Traveler’s Wife was but the events unfolding on the screen will mirror your life so much so that you start to feel a bit sorry for yourself and consequently, for Tom-the-protagonist too.
The casting was just perfect. Zooey Deschanel, whom I had adored since her quirky turn in Elf, was full of old-world charm. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not the next Brad Pitt in the making but he has a way of connecting to the audience and making us feel for him.
Even the soundtrack is perfect. This is truly the romance version of Juno – a tad indie, unexpected and simply a gem among expensive blockbuster failures. Highly recommended.
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JGL has grown into such a charming young man, he’ll forever be a boy in my heart!
I absolutely adored the movie, and pretty much went into it not knowing anything but believing that the lovely and quirky Zooey Deschanel in a ‘love’ story had got to be good :P And I agree, the strength of the movie lies in its uncanny parallel to our every day lives. The mister and I wouldn’t stop discussing post-screening :P